


Moving On

by hilandmum



Category: House MD
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-07
Updated: 2010-09-07
Packaged: 2017-10-11 14:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 33,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/113287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilandmum/pseuds/hilandmum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>House-Cuddy quickly runs it's course and House takes a road trip. But it's shorter than he planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving On

Chapter 1. Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginnings End.

House stared at the woman in bed beside him. How could she sleep so soundly when everything was falling apart? He'd almost rather have her screaming at him for his innumerable faults, for doing things she'd expressly forbade him to do, for costing her the job, the position she'd been so proud of.

He'd thought that, once they were together, he could get away with even more risky procedures, break even more rules. He thought he no longer had to ask her permission to cut open a patients brain or use drugs off-label. He'd been wrong.

She'd come down on him harder and more often than ever. "Just because I'm sleeping with you doesn't mean you can do anything you want, House!" It was moments like that, when 'Greg' reverted to 'House', said in a derisive voice more scathing than any his father had ever used, that he knew it couldn't last.

And then, to make matters even worse, the hospital board had decided that they'd been right all along, that Lisa Cuddy gave special treatment to Gregory House because she was in love with him. They finally had the proof they needed, and they forced her to resign.

She'd resented it, of course, and blamed him. She'd been Dean of the hospital for a long time, and took pride in holding that position despite her age and gender.

"You were the one who told me I was good at what I do. It didn't matter whether I was still a competent doctor, I knew how to run a hospital. Well, now it matters," she said bitterly, and he didn't know how to fix it.

But she WAS a competent doctor, more than competent, and she cared about her patients, maybe too much, like a certain former young Fellow of his used to. It was just that, dealing directly with patients wore her out emotionally. She no longer had time or patience for Rachel. When House called her on it, she turned on him. "She's MY daughter, and I'll do what I want with her!"

Before that, when she seemed to coddle the toddler too much, giving in to her every whim, House told her that Rachel would never learn to do anything for herself if her mother did it all for her, and Lisa had compromised with him, biting back her desire to protect her daughter and allowing Rachel to try things for herself. But now, he couldn't stand by and watch as the once loving mother became a tyrant to her child. Yet he didn't know how to fix it.

The problems in their relationship weren't all Lisa's fault, of course. He was the first one to admit that. How many times had he demanded her attention when her patients or Rachel needed it? How many times had he lied to her, telling her he was content with their relationship when he wasn't?

He thought he'd changed, was being kinder to people, reaching out to help them, and that he deserved to be happy, had earned it. He thought that being with Lisa would bring him happiness. He'd thought wrong.

Nolan told him that just doing good was its own reward. House couldn't accept that. He needed some tangible sign. It took too much effort to change. How could that be his only reward?

Instead of getting better and bringing him happiness, his relationship with Lisa had deteriorated. Now, when her eyes weren't angry, they were sad. And he didn't know how to fix that.

He hadn't seen her at all the day before, and found he hadn't missed her. His team had a case, one that had intrigued him, so much so that he'd stayed at the hospital with them. But in the end, the patient had died. Only then did they realize he didn't have cancer but an embolism they'd missed. Disgusted with himself, House finally left the hospital and drove home. The house was dark. He was glad Lisa was asleep, since he couldn't handle facing her, but she could have left a light on for him.

He crept through the house as silently as he could. Kicking off his Nikes and dropping his jeans, he collapsed on the bed. But sleep eluded him. His mind retraced all they'd done for their patient, looking for a flaw in their thinking, and wondering how they could possibly be so wrong. When his brain finally gave up wrestling with that, it turned to the shambles of his personal relationship. He was still analyzing it when Lisa finally stirred.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"How'd it go last night?"

He couldn't remember whether he'd called to tell her he had a patient and would be late. "He didn't make it."

"What was it?" She continued to pepper him with questions.

"An embolism. We missed it completely. So just drop it, OK?" He glared at her.

She shook her head. "Well, don't take it out on me!"

House sighed. He'd come to a conclusion during the night, and perhaps this was the time. "Lisa, this isn't working. It hasn't been, almost from the beginning. I don't know how we could have expected it would."

She didn't argue. "What...what are you going to do?" she asked in a voice only slightly louder than a whisper.

"The only thing I can do. I'm leaving."

"Then it's good you kept your apartment," she said in as even a tone as she could muster.

It was his turn to shake his head. "I'm leaving PPTH. I'll hand in my resignation, effective immediately. I'm leaving Princeton." He got out of bed and walked to the dresser.

"Where will you go?" she asked, realizing he was dead serious.

"I don't know. All I know is that I can't stay here." As he said it, he knew it was the right decision. He began pulling socks and briefs from a drawer.

"Please keep in touch," she pleaded, sitting up. "I still care about you."

He smiled ruefully. "It's not enough."

 

 

Chapter 2. On The Road Again.

House was at the hospital earlier than he'd ever been. He went straight to his office, where he packed up a box with some of his personal belongings, and wrote his resignation letter. He took it hot off the printer down to the reception desk where he put it in an envelope, addressed to Lisa Cuddy. Avoiding everyone he knew, he made his escape with his box of treasures.

It was mid-afternoon by the time he added his gym bag and the old wooden chest of chemicals to the suitcase and boxes in his trunk and slammed it shut. He got into the car with an increasing sense of adventure. He didn't know how far he'd go, or what he might find along the way. He just headed east to the interstate. Maybe he should go south, away from the congestion of the northeast. He might not get far his first day, but every mile away from Princeton allowed him to relax more.

The minutes and miles flew by. When he saw a sign for the Delmarva Peninsula, he realized he'd never gone down that way before. He took US 13 south. The road stretched straight and true through farmland. He drove on, but as evening descended he decided he needed fuel for himself and his vehicle. A sign caught his eye, a caricature of a pot-bellied man, pumping gas and simultaneously belching. 'Eat at Mo's, Get Gas' the sign read.

It was only a mile further on his left. There wasn't much northbound traffic, so he easily crossed into the gas station. Unlike New Jersey, where attendants pump your gas while you remain in your car, he had to get out to fuel up. His leg was stiff from the long drive, but it didn't really hurt. He inserted his credit card, filled his tank, and then drove fifteen yards or so to an old, but newly painted diner. This was Mo's.

"Sit wherever you like, Sugar," the waitress called out. She was busy taking the order of an elderly man, sitting alone in a booth halfway down the long narrow restaurant.

House sat in the second booth from the door and pulled a menu from the slot next to an old-fashioned Wurlitzer wallbox. He flipped through the selections, which were heavy on 60s and 70s music, probably hadn't been changed since the place was built. He smiled and opened the menu. The restaurant seemed to run to homey kinds of dishes, meatloaf, pot roast, and the like.

He looked up as the waitress approached. Middle-aged, short and chubby, with brassy blond hair, she had a nametag that read 'Linda' pinned to her pink shirt. The shirt bore the same logo as the sign he'd seen on the road, her chest making the man seem even funnier. "What'll it be, Sweetie?" she asked, pen poised over her order pad.

"Is the lasagna fresh?" he asked.

"Sure is. Mo just took a fresh pan out of the oven."

"That's what I want, then."

"You get a salad or vegetable with that," she said, pointing to the print on the menu with the back end of her pen.

"Salad. Italian dressing on the side."

"And to drink? We've got Coke products, iced tea, coffee and beer," she said.

"Make it coffee for now," he said, then sat back as he watched her go through swinging doors to the back of the place, presumably to give Mo his order.

When she came back out again, she carried a plate heaping with spaghetti and meatballs and placed it in front of the elderly man. House noticed that besides himself and Old Guy, the place was empty. He hoped that wasn't because of the quality of the food. Then again, it was almost eight, way past the dinner hour for most people.

House was just taking his first bite of the lasagna, and comparing it favorably with any that Wilson had ever made, when there was a commotion at Old Guy's table.

"Mo, come quick!" Linda shouted out. "It looks like Pete is having a heart attack or somethin'."

A big woman came through the swinging doors, as tall as Linda was short, and just as heavyset.

House continued eating as the two women conferred.

Suddenly Linda called to him, "Hey, Mister, give us a hand here!"

"Whatever happened to 'Honey' and 'Sweetie'? When did I get demoted to 'Mister'?" he called back.

Mo took charge, "Don't smart mouth her and git your bony ass over here!"

He waved his cane, but stood and began to approach them as ordered. "Yes, Sergeant, but this cripple doesn't move so fast."

"Your brain is more feeble than your body!" she said. "Now help us get Pete over to the clinic."

House couldn't see how he could be of any help, especially since he didn't know how far away the clinic was. But he was becoming curious about what was wrong with old Pete.

"Take his right arm, under the shoulder," Mo ordered, noting his right leg limp and his perfectly fine left leg. "I'll get the left and Linnie can take his feet."

Pete appeared to be conscious but struggling for breath. "What did he have again?" House asked.

"The meatballs and spaghetti. But no one else got sick from any of our food tonight," Linda said.

Once the three of them had lifted Pete, Mo said, "The clinic's just across the alley in the strip mall."

"Mo, I guess that short for Maureen?" House asked as they made it through the door. The woman's plan was working better than he expected, but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Now you're trying to prove how smart you are?" she replied.

He suppressed the grin that was threatening to spread across his face. They made it across the alley. The clinic seemed to occupy the first two spaces of a row of stores including a realtor, a karate school, and a nail salon.

"I hope the docs still here," Linda said.

"She usually doesn't leave until eight-thirty, nine. Phyllis is on vacation but the lights on." Mo pushed open the door with her shoulder and House could hear a bell ring somewhere in the back of the clinic. "Doc, it's Mo. Got a patient for you, Pete Carver."

"I'll be right out," a voice sang out from the back.

The familiarity of it sent a tingle down the back of House's neck. It couldn't be! Last he heard she was going to Chicago. Suddenly he didn't want to wait to find out. What would he say if his suspicions were right? "I'm going back to finish my lasagna while it's still hot," he said. The two women could handle it from here.

Mo stared at him. "Was it something I said?"

He ignored her question. "How do I pay for my meal?"

"You're not going on tonight, are you?" she asked. "It's kinda late. Get a room at the motel, and you'll pay me when you come in for breakfast in the morning. That is, if we're not back before you finish eating."

She was being rather presumptuous, House thought. But she had a point. He'd noticed that there was a motel on the other side of Mo's place. Helping the women carry Pete over had taken the last of his energy, and by the time he finished eating, it really would be too late to go on. "See you in the morning." He made a hasty retreat before the doc appeared.

 

Chapter 3. Small Town

House walked slowly back to the diner. His food was waiting for him, just as he left it, although it was beginning to get cold. Still, it was tasty. As he ate, he wondered what was wrong with Pete. From there it was an easy leap to wondering what Cameron might be doing working in a clinic in this town. And why was he so uncomfortable about seeing if it was really Cameron he'd heard? He'd always found it easy to manipulate conversations with her. He knew just the right buttons to push to fluster her, like a schoolgirl when her favorite teacher pays her some attention, any attention. It wasn't like him to avoid a confrontation, but he knew he'd have a harder time deflecting any questions she'd ask than he used to in the past. They'd both changed, and, therefore, their relationship had too.

He thought about their last conversation before she left. She'd come to say good-bye, but more than that, to tell him off. All of her illusions about him were gone. She'd come to consider him the devil incarnate, and claimed he corrupted everyone around him. She, more than anyone, had judged him and found him wanting. Had her condemnation of him increased his desire to reach out to people? How can I ever convince her I've been doing better? he wondered. Not that I'll have a chance.

He was surprised to find that he'd finished the lasagna and salad. He stood and went behind the long counter to get more coffee. He'd already lifted the carafe when he decided he could use a beer after all. He wasn't going anywhere until morning, not that he was too averse to drinking and driving. He'd done it before. But he'd stuck to coffee to keep himself awake. Now there didn't seem a point. He also helped himself to a slice of pecan pie from the display case. "Put it on my tab," he told no one in particular.

As he walked by Pete's table on the way back to his own, he snatched the newspaper Pete had been reading. Nothing made him smile like a small-town newspaper, full of the everyday goings on of a closed community. It would provide a good distraction from the thoughts he wasn't ready to face. He sat back down with his beer, his pie and the paper.

The newspaper didn't disappoint. It seemed that the Main Street merchants were petitioning city hall to repair the sidewalks, saying the cracking pavement was discouraging shoppers. The reporter speculated that they just didn't want to be sued by anyone who tripped outside their establishments. The Mayor's favorite cow had been found wandering down Highway 4 in the middle of Monday afternoon. The high school girls' softball team had trounced the team from Fair Haven, but the boys hadn't been so successful, losing their baseball game to Littleton.

When he was done with it, House returned the paper to where he'd found it. He debated about taking his plates, mug and cutlery back to the kitchen, but knew no one would expect him to.

He walked back out into the cool evening air. Leaving his car parked by the diner, since he'd be leaving from there after breakfast in the morning, he grabbed his leather jacket and put it on, and took the gym bag from the trunk before walking over to the motel office. A row of motel rooms extended perpendicular to the office toward the road.

It appeared that Mo was a part owner of the motel, too. It was called the Mo-Zee Inn, and had a sign similar in design to that for the restaurant, only this one depicted a man in bed under a patchwork quilt, snoring away, and underneath it read 'and get a good night's sleep'. House expected he'd find out who 'Zee' was as he opened the door and walked in.

A tall man with a full face, bright blue eyes and a head full of graying brown hair looked over from the Washington Nationals ballgame he was watching from his chair behind the counter. "Evenin'," he said. "Need a room for the night?"

"Yes," House replied. "Mo sent me."

"She did, did she? 'Xpect that means I have to give you the Presidential Suite." He looked at a board behind him, and selected a keycard from a slot. "Number Twelve. Right next to the office, and the closest to the diner. I'm Zach. I'll be here an hour or so more if you need anything." He handed House a form to fill out and ran his credit card.

Soon House was walking into a typical motel room. He noticed that the bed had a patchwork quilt similar to the one on the sign and smiled. He dropped his bag on top of the dresser and opened the bathroom door, as he began to remove his clothes.

The bathroom was clean and bright with a pile of fluffy white towels waiting on a wall rack and miniature toiletries on the counter by the sink. House glanced at his face in the mirror. He looked as tired as he felt. A quick hot shower relaxed some of the muscles that ached from the long drive and his effort it took to help with getting Pete to the clinic.

When he'd dried himself with one of the towels, happily oversized, he pulled on a clean T-shirt and sleep pants, then crawled into the comfortable bed. He slept better than he had in a long while.

When he woke, he was dreaming about a waterfall, but soon realized it was rain, pounding on the roof of the building as well as the pavement outside his room.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, but mentally congratulated himself for taking the car instead of the bike. He showered and dressed, packed the few items he'd taken out, and limped the short distance to his car to stow the bag in his trunk.

By the time he entered the diner and took the same booth as the night before, he was drenched and cold. His leather jacket hadn't helped much and he shook it to shed some of the rain. He was surprised to see Linda back again, waiting on a couple sitting at the counter. A teenage girl was pouring coffee for some of the other patrons.

"Good morning!" the kid said brightly as she turned over his mug and filled it with steaming hot java without being asked. She was tall, and wore the pink shirt with the diner's logo to better advantage than Linda.

"Not very good," House said, looking pointedly at the rain streaming down the window.

She chuckled. "You must be the guy who helped Mom and Aunt Linnie last night."

House chuckled too. He already had a rep with these folks. "I'll have the scrapple." He'd seen that on the menu the night before. It had been a long time since he'd had any. They must get a fair share of Pennsylvanians coming through.

"How did you want your eggs?" she asked.

"Scrambled will do."

"White or wheat?"

Would the questions never end? "You got rye?" There, he'd got one in too.

She nodded and smiled, then walked off to place his order.

House couldn't help overhear Linda talking to the couple at the counter. "Doc still doesn't know what's wrong with Pete, or her other patient, Buddy Eldridge's cousin Harry."

"We wondered why Pete wasn't out on his boat this morning, but figured it was the weather," the woman said. "'Course, that was before it really started raining."

"They say it's gonna be a big one," the man said. The couple wore matching sweatshirts and jeans along with boat shoes. Slickers sat on the chairs next to them.

Linda finally left them and came over to House's table. "Did Chrissy get your order?"

"If you mean a tall, blond teenage girl, then yes," House replied. "I'm surprised you're in already this morning."

"Oh, I work the eight to ten-thirty shift, then the 'leven to two, and the five to seven. The only reason Chrissy wasn't here last night was softball practice. She works before and after school."

It was more information than House needed, but he let her babble while he waited for his food.

"You still fixin' to head south today?" Linda finally asked.

He nodded.

"You know you'll be ridin' right into that big ole hurricane," she warned. "Alberto they're calling it."

He hadn't known, but now he had another thing to add to the 'stay' column on the whiteboard in his head. It was becoming much longer than the 'go' list.

 

Chapter 4. Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Chrissy brought House his breakfast and he dug right in. If he rode off into the storm, who knew when he'd have his next meal. The teen came by a few minutes later to top off his coffee. Looking past him and out the window, she said, "I'm heading out to school, so if you need anything else, Aunt Linnie will get it for you."

She took the carafe back behind the counter and pulled out a backpack. House heard Linda tell her, "You drive careful now, ya hear?"

Chrissy waved to the customers and walked out the door. House saw that she was immediately pelted by the rain. She quickly opened her car door and got in. He turned back to Linda, who was filling a large plastic bag with take-out boxes. She pulled a hooded poncho off a hook and put it on. As she passed House she said, "I'm takin' breakfast over to the clinic. Be right back."

House made a split second decision. He'd panicked the night before, but couldn't let possibly unfounded nervousness stop him from finding out if 'Doc' was really Cameron. So he stood and reached out a hand. "I can do it. Stay here and tend to your customers. Maybe I can give your Doc a hand with her patients."

Linda eyed him warily. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Haven't done my good deed for the day. Might as well get it over with."

She handed him the bag of boxes and pulled the poncho back off over her head. "You got a slicker or somethin'?" she asked, eying his leather jacket. "One of Mo's might do for you." She hung up her poncho and brought back a bright yellow slicker similar to the ones the couple at the counter had next to them. He thought it might even be long enough for him. He was just glad no one he knew would see him in it.

Donning the wet-weather gear, he took a last gulp of his coffee, picked up the bag in one hand and his cane in the other and walked out. Sloshing through puddles and rivulets created by the rain, he made his way across the alley to the clinic. He opened the door and heard the bell sound in the back, then called out, "Breakfast is served."

"Just put it on my desk," a voice came back, the same voice as the day before, the voice that sounded just like Cameron's. But something in his voice must have registered with her, too. "Better yet, bring it in here."

"Don't want to drip on your floor," he said but walked to the room that the voice came from.

She laughed, an unmistakable laugh. "It's the least of my worries right now."

He entered a large square room containing four cots with several tall and short metal cabinets between them. Two of the beds were occupied and he recognized Pete, eyes closed, lying in one of them.

He wasn't surprised by the slight woman with the long blond hair, caught in a ponytail, who was taking a blood sample from the other patient. He WAS surprised at how primitive her equipment seemed. "No wonder you haven't been able to find out what caused their shortness of breath," he said, putting the bag of food on the only flat surface that didn't contain medical equipment, most of it the kind he hadn't seen since his early days of Med school.

She glanced at him. He expected her to ask what he was doing there, but instead she smiled and said, "You look like Big Bird." He gave her high marks for hiding her surprise at seeing him.

"Hah!" he exclaimed. "Is that the best you can do?" He was glad that he didn't have to explain what brought him to this town. She probably thought he wouldn't answer her questions. Not truthfully, anyway.

"Just make yourself useful." She handed him the vial of blood she'd just filled and carefully labeled. "Take this to the lab and add it to the rack." She indicated a narrow door at one side of the room. "I'll get to it in a bit."

He walked through the door into a small lab that looked like it dated from the seventies. A rack of test tubes, filled with blood, sat next to a microscope and, as instructed, he added the one in his hand. A slide with a blood smear was on the scope, so he took a look at it. The magnification was too low to see anything much, unlike the electron microscopes he was used to using, but even higher magnification wouldn't have given him any more information.

House returned to the bigger room and said, "If that'll be all, I'll be on my way." He really should be heading south. Cameron could handle whatever was wrong with the two men.

She looked at him for a minute, but there was nothing she could say except, "Have a good trip." He wondered what she was thinking, but wouldn't ask.

He nodded once and let himself out. Once outside in the pelting rain, he slogged his way back to the diner. "Mission accomplished," he told Linda, handing her the wet slicker and sitting back down in his booth.

"Warm you up?" she asked, but didn't wait for an answer before pouring steaming hot coffee into his mug.

He drank it slowly, but was determined to leave as soon as he finished it. When there was nothing left in his mug, he stood and walked to the cash register. "How much for last night and this morning?" he asked.

Linda rifled through some slips in her pocket and extracted two. "Mo says I should give you a ten percent discount for last night, on account of your help with Pete and all." She began adding things up.

"What about my delivery service this morning?" he asked, making her laugh.

"You're a regular boy scout," she declared.

He smiled back watching her do the math. He handed her his credit card. "Add a healthy tip for you and Chrissy," he said on impulse.

"Why, thank you," she said.

He signed the receipt, took his card back, and headed out the door. The rain was continuing relentlessly, and he was happy to get into his car quickly. He drove to the edge of the road. Not much traffic, but it was difficult to see even with his windshield wipers going full speed. He sat there, waiting for a clear path to cross the northbound lanes and turn south. As he did, he reviewed that whiteboard in his head. The reasons to stay far outweighed the reasons to go, so why didn't he? What was he afraid of?

House closed his eyes and swallowed. Then, instead of heading down the road, he drove across the alley into the parking lot of the strip mall, and pulled up in front of the clinic. For once in his life, he would take a chance where the odds might be stacked against him.

 

Chapter 5. A Regular Boy Scout

As House got out of his car, another one pulled up alongside, splashing him. He didn't think he could get any wetter. The driver got out too and shouted "Sorry!" above the pounding of the rain, then went around to the passenger side of his car and opened the door. As he helped a thin woman out he asked, "Would you mind getting the door to the clinic?"

The woman leaned on the man as she walked slowly toward the door. House opened it and held it for them, then followed them inside.

"Dr. Cameron said to bring her right over," the man explained without being asked.

"She's in the back," House told him, finally shutting the outer door against the rain. He walked around the couple and opened the back door so they could enter the make shift infirmary. "Got you another one," he called out to Cameron.

She looked up, trying not to register surprise at seeing him back. "Put Kelly over here, Ralph," she told the man. Obviously, she knew the couple.

He led the woman over and she practically collapsed onto the bed. Her breathing was shallow and labored.

"Any luck finding out what's wrong with them?" House asked.

Cameron shook her head. "And Zithromax hasn't worked for either of my other patients. I don't think I have enough Cipro or Levaquin for them all, not to mention any others who might show up."

"If you need more, you'd better get it before the storm gets any worse," House told her. "Or maybe it's not an infection."

She nodded. "Ralph, if I call in some prescriptions, could you head over to Walgreens for them?"

"I don't really want to leave Kelly," he said.

"I'll go," House told her.

"I thought you were leaving town," Cameron said, finally registering her surprise that he was back. "You don't even know where the drugstore is!" She studied him. "What happened to Ole Yeller?"

"It was Mo's," he said, knowing she meant the slicker, but not how she'd ever heard of the ancient TV show.

"Well, if you're going out again, Dr. Sweeney left a raincoat in the lab. It's longer than your jacket. Might as well take it." She picked up the phone and called the pharmacy. "Hi, Phil? This is Dr. Cameron. I'm going to need all the Amoxicillin and Levaquin you can spare. I'm sending someone over to pick it up." She listened for a minute, then said. "Thanks, Phil," and hung up.

"He's about to shut the store," she told House. "Most of the other shops in town have already boarded their windows and closed." She gave him directions. The pharmacy wasn't far away.

He took just long enough to exchange his leather jacket for the longer raincoat, and than headed back out into the deluge. He had to admit that the coat protected him somewhat from the elements, but that was all that could be said for it. What he wouldn't give for a spy-like trenchcoat! That would be much cooler!

He got into his car and turned right out of the parking lot. He drove to the first traffic light, then turned right, as instructed. The store was at the end of the block, a typical corner drugstore, huge and filled with all sorts of things besides drugs. He had made a list in his head of some supplies he thought Cameron might need. This was just the kind of place that would have most of them.

Phil, the pharmacist, a middle-aged man, tall and heavy with a mustache and glasses, was still collecting the antibiotics Cameron had requested. That gave House time to wander through the aisles, filling a cart with a battery-operated torch and a couple of flashlights, some large bottles of distilled water and drinking water, whatever meters he found on the shelves to supplement the woefully inadequate equipment at the clinic, and assorted other items.

The druggist helped him carry everything out to his car in a box and several plastic bags, and he drove back to the clinic. The rain hadn't let up as he carried the bag of prescription meds in. He handed it to Cameron and called to the man she'd called Ralph. "If you can drag yourself away from Katie..."

"...Kelly...," Ralph corrected.

"...whatever, I could use some help carrying everything else in."

Cameron looked at him in shock with a layer of curiosity. But this was House. Who knew what he'd been up to.

Ralph pulled on his heavy windbreaker and accompanied House back to the car. Between them they managed to bring in everything House had bought. At the last minute, House added the small chest of items he'd brought from his apartment. Some of the chemicals might prove useful.

Cameron watched wide-eyed as House brought in the vast assortment he'd purchased.

"They say the storm will be continuing for at least two days," he explained. "Gotta be prepared."

"You're a regular boy scout," Cameron said, smirking at him.

It was the second time that day that he'd been called one. Even though it had been said sarcastically, both times, he was strangely pleased that anyone should consider him boy scout material. "You've accused me of worse," he shot back before carrying some of the items into the make shift lab and Cameron followed him. He turned to her and asked, "Any progress?"

She shook her head. "It's only been forty-five minute since you last asked that. House, I'm not sure I can handle this. If it weren't for the storm, I'd send these patients to one of the hospitals in Salisbury or Annapolis, or maybe even Norfolk."

"If we can't figure this out, what makes you think the doctors there would be able to?"

"We?" she questioned.

"I'm stuck here." He shrugged. "Better than staring out the window at the downpour."

She tried to smile. "This isn't the best-equipped lab either of us has worked in."

Was she apologizing? "That's an understatement! So." He pulled out two more items, a child's dry erase board and some markers. "What've we got so far?"

Now she really did smile. "OK. The obvious would be an infection, something contagious. I'll bet there are more cases out there."

"Aren't there other doctors in this town who might be seeing other victims?" he asked, putting the board down for a minute.

She shook her head. "There's an Ob/Gyn who lives here, but she works in Salisbury. And a dentist. That's it."

"Where do these people get their health care?"

"House, they're farmers and fishermen. They don't have health insurance," she said. "The few who work in the cities and do have insurance, or have the money, go to doctors in those cities. I'm afraid I'm it for everyone else."

House nodded. "Pete's a fisherman, I gather. What about the others?"

It was an odd question, but no odder than others she'd heard him ask in the past. "Harry's from Baltimore. I don't know what kind of job he has, but he's only here for the week to visit his cousin."

"And Kelly?"

"She's a housewife, works part-time at the Giant food store in town."

"So, it's not occupational," House mused.

"The only things they have in common are their symptoms," Cameron said. "I'm going to give them all Amoxicillin. None of them are allergic. I've also started them on a decongestant."

House nodded. "While you're doing that, I'll play with these blood samples." He indicated the rack of tubes. "Got urine?"

That actually made her laugh. She'd forgotten that working with House could actually be fun. It would be more so if she wasn't so worried about the patients.

 

Chapter 6. It's Getting Crowded in Here.

Cameron began to empty the bags and boxes of supplies House had brought back from the drugstore. "Home pregnancy tests?" she asked.

He shrugged. "You never know."

He said it with such seriousness that she laughed. "Some of these other items could come in handy," she admitted, reading the box for a new kind of fingertip oximeter.

"I wouldn't have spent the money otherwise," he said.

"Speaking of which, how much do I owe you?" she asked. She hadn't really thought about how much it all cost when he brought it in.

House shook his head. "We'll talk about it later." He was sure the clinic didn't have much money for supplies. "Too bad they haven't approved the DNA test kits that've been in the news lately." He looked around at the lab equipment. "How did you end up here?" he asked as nonchalantly as possible. The question had been plaguing him since he'd confirmed that she was indeed the doctor in the clinic.

"Chicago turned out to be a mistake," she readily admitted. "I...I was bored silly. And then I saw an ad Dr. Sweeney placed in a medical journal, JAMA I think. He wanted someone to work with him here for two months, and then take over when he retired." She shrugged. "It was just what the doctor ordered, for me anyway."

"Hah!" he said at her feeble attempt at a joke. She'd finished emptying the boxes and bags. He began to write down symptoms on the dry-erase board. "Right now we need to get to work. You said that Zithromax isn't working." He added that to what he'd written. There still was very little on the board. "I'd say we're missing something, but in this case, I think we're missing a whole lot."

"I'll start the Amoxycillin and hopefully that will work," she suggested.

"Have you run the blood samples through the centrifuge?" House asked. He'd noticed an old one on the counter, and remembered how attached to the things Cameron could get.

"Yes, but nothing unusual precipitated out," she replied. "After I give the patients the antibiotic, I'll get you some urine samples. You can at least test the pH," she said chuckling and holding up tests strips for a home pool.

He chuckled too before turning away from her and opening the packaging on some of the meters he'd purchased.

Cameron took one last thoughtful look at his back, then returned to her patients. She was very happy for House's help. There was something about his presence that gave her more confidence in her own ability. She knew she had to get to the bottom of this illness that was plaguing the three people lying on cots in her clinic, and, with his help, she thought she could.

She'd just sent Kelly to the small bathroom so she could get a urine sample when she heard the bell indicating that someone else had entered the clinic. "We're in the back," she called out. "Just come straight through."

A woman with dark hair walked through the doorway, supporting a dark-haired child of about ten. "Doctor, Pam's been having a hard time breathing," the woman said.

"I'm glad you brought her in, Janet," Cameron said. "Pam, sit down on this cot so I can examine you."

The girl and her mother looked around at the other patients. "Are they sick, too?" Pam managed to ask before she started to gasp for air.

"Yes," Cameron replied,

"Is it contagious?" Janet asked, watching the doctor check her daughter's heart rate, ears and throat.

"We're beginning to wonder whether it's an infection or something else."

"Then, why are so many people getting sick?" the woman demanded.

"Good question," House said, joining them from the lab. "Too bad we don't have an MRI scanner." He looked around. "There isn't even an X-ray machine."

"And here I was sure you had X-ray vision," Cameron quipped.

He chuckled. "Your sense of humor has improved." He looked around the room. "Looks like you've run out of beds," he said.

Cameron nodded and sighed.

"You slept here last night, didn't you?" There were now four patients and four other people, but only four cots. "We gonna double up?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Your sense of humor is still sophomoric, or should I say sopho-moronic!"

"Oh, c'mon, Cameron. Give me a break. I'm soaking wet and trying to solve a twenty-first century medical puzzle with nineteenth century equipment."

"Twentieth century equipment, but you made your point. So what do you suggest about the bed situation? Seriously," she cautioned.

"Oh, you don't have to provide a bed for me," Janet piped up. "Phil and Kevin are waiting for me in the car. They've evacuated everyone who lives along the shore. We're supposed to go to the high school gymnasium." She looked at her daughter. "You will take care of Pam, won't you Doctor Cameron?"

"Yes, we will." Cameron said. "So they're expecting flooding from this storm?"

"It's already started and the main part of the storm hasn't reached us yet," Janet said. She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Be good and listen to the doctor, hear?" she told her.

Pam nodded, and Janet began to leave.

"Wait, has Pam been sick at all lately? A cough? Bronchitis?" House asked. "Or does she have allergies?"

"How'd you know?" Janet said. "She's asthmatic, but this wasn't like an asthma attack. Her inhaler hardly worked at all and..."

House dismissed her, and turned to Ralph. "What about Kelly?"

"Uh, she had bronchitis a week or so ago, but it was completely cleared up! You think this is a recurrence?"

"Not really, but it weakened her lungs," House said, wandering off to the lab without another word of explanation.

"I think he's gotten an idea," Cameron told the others as she watched him walk away.

 

 

Chapter 7. Stormy Weather.

It wasn't long before House was back. "No endoscope?" he asked Cameron.

"It's in the top drawer next to the sink," she replied.

He left again and when he returned, he walked over to Pam first. "Say 'ah'," he told the girl.

She opened her mouth as wide as she could, but Cameron objected. "You're not going to put that thing down her throat without any anesthetic, are you?" She walked quickly to a cabinet and took out a spray bottle, handing it to him.

He sprayed Pam's throat, waited a short time for the anesthetic to take affect, and inserted the scope. Although she gagged a little, she turned out to be a good patient. "The bronchi look OK," he declared.

"That's a good thing, right?" Janet asked.

"Yes, it is," Cameron reassured her.

Kelly returned from the bathroom, and House practically pounced on her. "You're next." He repeated the procedure with her, careful to spray the anesthetic first, and to clean the probe before inserting it.  
"No sign of infection and the airway's clear, but there's still evidence of the recent bronchitis."

He examined the two men, as well. In fact, he was just finishing when the bell rang again and they heard Linda call out, "I've brought you some lunch, Doc!"

"Bring it back here," Cameron called back.

Dripping rain, Linda did as asked. "Oh!" she gasped as she looked around the room and frowned. "I didn't know there were so many people here. I...I hope there's enough." She placed the two bags she carried on a table.

"If you brought as much as you sent for breakfast, there'll be plenty," Cameron told her.

But Linda wasn't through with being surprised. "I thought you'd be long gone by now," she told House.

House didn't know how to explain his continued presence, but Cameron didn't have a problem. "There are too many patients for me to handle alone, so I'm happy to have Dr. House's help."

"You're a doctor?" Linda asked him. Would the surprises never end?

That he could answer. "Yes." He began to pull out food out of the bags just as a load clap of thunder shook the building and the lights flickered, then came back on full power. "You don't happen to have a generator hiding in one of these cabinets or drawers, do you?" he asked Cameron.

She shook her head. "That's why I'm glad you brought the lantern and flashlights."

"Why don't you move everyone over to the motel?" Linda suggested. "Zach's got a big generator there, and a smaller one for the diner."

"That's a good idea," House said. "If you're sure Zach won't mind."

"I can't think of why he would," Linda said. She pulled out her phone and called him. When she finished she said, "He's all for it. He'll meet us over there."

"I should stay here in case any one else shows up," Cameron said, frowning.

House knew he couldn't get her to change her mind, so he didn't try. "Then we'll just take some of the patients. We can use my car," House suggested.

"Who'll take care of them over there?" Cameron asked.

"I will," he replied, and she smiled and nodded.

It seemed like a sensible solution, and she was pleased he'd want to do that. "Take some of the supplies you bought," she said. Then she looked around at the four patients. "If I keep Kelly here, Ralph can help me with her and Buddy's cousin. Take Pam and Pete, and see if Chrissy can give you a hand."

"Chrissy?"

"Mo and Zach's daughter."

"I know who she is, but she's just a high school kid," House said.

"She's helped at the clinic when she didn't have softball practice after school and wasn't needed at the diner. My nurse takes frequent trips, like she's doing this week, and I can always rely on Chrissy to step in," Cameron explained. "She'll be a big help."

"OK, if you say so," House said, starting to put the old raincoat back on.

"You'll take good care of Pam?" Janet asked.

"Don't worry about her," Cameron said. "Dr. House is the best doctor I know."

Janet nodded, hugged her daughter, and left.

Linda helped House move the patients. It took some doing, but fifteen minutes later they were in House's car, along with a couple of bags of supplies. Before he left, House went back in for a last word with Cameron.

"Call if you come up with something," he told her.

She put a hand on his wet shoulder. "You do the same. And, House, thanks! You've already been a godsend."

"I thought you were an atheist," he replied.

She smirked and impulsively kissed his cheek. "I'll talk to you later."

The feel of that kiss lingered as he got into the car and drove back across the alley to the motel, parking in front of the room he'd slept in. Had it just been the night before? he wondered.

Zach came out of the office with an umbrella, but, with the wind, it didn't do much good to keep anyone dry. He helped House get Pete into one of the beds in Room 12, and then they took Pam next door.

"Is Chrissy home?" House asked, as they settled Pam in one of the two double beds.

"Yep. She's over at the diner, but they haven't had too many customers tonight," Zach said.

House wasn't surprised. "Tell her that I can use her help. Maybe she can stay the night in this room with Pam."

Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. House smiled when he saw Chrissy, enveloped in a slicker with a matching yellow hat protecting her head, and carrying a bag that turned out to be more food.

"Pam's resting comfortably. I just gave her a dose of antibiotic, her antihistamine and a decongestant," House told her. "She should be good for several hours. I'll be next door with Pete."

The teen nodded with each statement. "Dr. House, isn't it? I'll call you if there are any problems, but you can trust me with her."

"That's what Cameron told me," House said. "I'll leave you a flashlight, just in case..."

"Dad's got a back-up generator, but thanks," Chrissy said. "This storm's getting worse and there've been power outages in other parts of town already."

Cameron had been right about her, House thought as he left. The overhang of the motel did little to protect him from the driving rain. The wind had picked up considerably and seemed to be blowing right at him as he walked to the next room.

"Who're you?" Pete asked in a raspy voice, squinting at House as he entered.

"I'm a friend of Dr. Cameron's," House said. "I'm a doctor, too, and I'm helping her out."

"You're the young fella what helped Mo 'n' Linda get me to the clinic, ain'cha? And you put that tube down my throat. Then you brought me here. This the motel?" He looked around the room.

"Yes," House replied. "You feeling better?"

"Well, there's no truck sittin' on my chest any more," Pete said clutching his chest. "Breathin's better."

"Good. We still don't know what happened to you and the others, but at least the treatment is working," House said.

"That Dr. Cameron, she's a pretty one, ain't she?" Pete said with a weak leer.

"Yes," House said, chuckling.

"That all ya gonna say? So, ya here to visit her?"

House had to think about that before he answered. Certainly, he hadn't planned it. "Just passing through town," he said. "It was just a coincidence running into her." Or had it been? What had really brought him here? He didn't believe in fate or anything like that. He didn't believe in much at all, just his own ability, and sometimes, lately, he'd even questioned that.

He handed Pete one of the sandwiches from the diner, and they ate in silence for a while. "Maybe we should get some sleep while we can," he told Pete when they were done.

"Nah. Turn on the TV for a bit," Pete requested. "Where's my pants? I want a cigarette."

"I don't think that's a good idea, not until you're quite a bit better," House told him, but another mystery was solved. Pete's lungs were compromised too, in his case from years of smoking. House found the remote and turned on the TV. The set only got four channels, and on all of them, the storm took center stage.

"This is gonna be a humdinger!" Pete said with a smile. "Ain't seen one like this since ought six."

"Enjoy being safe and dry here," House advised.

"Yup. I jest hope my boat's OK," Pete said, his mood suddenly changing. "And my house."

"They evacuated all the homes on the shore," House told him.

Pete nodded. "They do that ev'ry time there's a storm. Guess they're not showin' wrestling tonight."

House turned off the TV, then the light. "Get some rest," he told Pete. He was going to try to do the same. Who knew what the night and the next day would bring.

 

Chapter 8. All Through The Night

House wasn't sure he'd be able to sleep after the nap he'd taken earlier, and the dinner Mo and Linda brought over at six. The day's events had given him a lot to think about. But the steady drumming of the rain on the roof lulled him into a dreamless slumber. That is until the wind began rattling the windows, and a crash of...something...woke him.

He glanced at the illuminated dial of the clock on the pine night stand next to the bed and saw that it was just past three in the morning. Otherwise, it was pitch black, inside and out.

Pete seemed to be asleep, although his breathing was more labored again.

House turned over and tried to fall asleep again, but the phone rang. It took a few seconds to realize it was the room phone. He picked it up quickly, hoping it hadn't woken Pete.

"Dr. House? It's Chrissy," the young female voice said. "I think Pam's worse again, and now she has a rash."

"Who's that?" Pete asked groggily.

House covered the mouthpiece with his hand and replied, "Chrissy. She's next door with another patient. Pam something." Then he responded to his 'helper'. "I'm coming right over. What kind of rash is it?" he asked, reaching for the raincoat. He was beginning to think of it as his.

"It's on her neck and fingers, and maybe other places, too," Chrissy told him.

House suspected that it might be an non-allergic reaction to the antibiotic, but he wouldn't know for sure until he examined the girl. Before he left, he brought Pete another decongestant and a glass of water.

"Take this, and go back to sleep. I'll go check on Pam, and be right back," he told the old man.

"Sure, doc."

House opened the door to go outside and was immediately pelted by the wind-driven rain, and bits of debris. He braved it, immediately closing the door behind him. As he walked next door, he could see some of the wreckage caused by the storm. He knocked on the door, and Chrissy quickly admitted him.

"It's getting worse out there, isn't it?" she asked. "I heard a crash a while ago. I...I think that's what woke me, and then I saw that Pam was struggling to breath. I gave her the inhaler. I hope that's OK."

"Yes, that was good. Let's see that rash," House said, limping toward the girl in the bed. Her breathing wasn't great but she wasn't gasping for air. He saw the rash on Pam's neck and fingers immediately, even in the low light of the room. "Are we working on emergency power?" he asked, looking at the lamp.

"Yes, I think so," Chrissy said. "That lights usually much brighter. So what's the rash?"

"It's a reaction to the Amoxicillin."

"I thought she wasn't allergic to it."

"She has allergies but it's not an allergic reaction," he said. "We'll stop the antibiotic and it should go away. I don't think it was helping, anyway." However, he made a mental note to ask Cameron if any of the other patients had a rash. "Whatever this is, it's affecting the respiratory system, even though the bronchi looked OK. Probably environmental. Let's just continue the decongestant to keep her airways clear. She might need an antibiotic later to prevent bronchitis or pneumonia, but for now we'll just keep her breathing."

"OK," Chrissy said.

While he was there, he checked Pam's heart and blood pressure. The pressure was low, but it had been before, too, and it wasn't in a dangerous range.

"Are you two going to be alright here the rest of the night?" he asked. Chrissy might be competent, but she was awfully young.

"It'll be morning soon. Mom said she'd come over with breakfast, and maybe help, too. I doubt I'll have school tomorrow, rather today."

"Yeah," he said. "Well, I'm going back to Pete. I'll see you both in the morning."

He made his way back to the other room, walking close to the building. The storm hadn't helped the situation here. The treatment they'd started for the patients seemed to be helping, but that wasn't enough. He knew he wouldn't rest until he found out what had caused their illness in the first place.

Pete was sleeping again, snoring even, although his breathing was shallow. House tried to get back to sleep too, but found himself making a list of things to ask Cameron in the morning. Eventually he drifted off.

When he woke, it was six thirty. It was still dark outside, and would probably stay that way. The wind and rain competed for his attention. But that list was still running through his head, and before he thought it out, he'd picked up his phone and called Cameron.

"House, you better have something good," she said, sleep slurring her words.

"Good morning to you too, Buttercup."

"Whatever happened to the doctor who never showed up at the hospital until ten?" she groaned. "What time is it?"

"It's six thirty and I've got some questions for you. I'm hoping that you have the answers," he told her.

"Shoot," she said, struggling to get her brain in gear.

"Do either of your patients have a rash?"

"A rash?"

"That's what I said. Do they?"

"They didn't," she said, sounding puzzled. "Give me a sec and I'll check." She was only gone about twenty seconds. "No."

"So, Pam's the only one."

"A reaction to the Amoxycillin?" Cameron guessed.

"That's what I think. I'll continue the decongestant and antihistamine for her and see whether that's enough."

"Yes, I'm almost sure it's not an infection. Maybe something environmental," she speculated.

"We're definitely on the same page. OK, two things we need to establish. The first is whether they've all been in the same place at some time in the last few days."

"Right. And the second?" Cameron asked.

"Is the cousin from Baltimore..."

"...Harry..."

"...a smoker?"

"You said they were affected because their lungs were already weakened, and you think that's what might have weakened Harry's."

"Yeah," House confirmed.

"OK. I'll ask him when he wakes up. But I'm not about to wake him to satisfy your curiosity," she insisted.

Without missing a beat he asked, "Did you lose power over there?"

"Was that one of your questions?"

"Yes. We're running on Zach's generator. How are you doing?"

"Well, thanks to someone's foresight, we're managing with the lantern and flashlights. The space blankets came in handy too, since it's gotten cold with the heat not working," she said.

"Guess my money wasn't wasted, then."

"What else did you want to know?"

"What are you wearing?" He could almost hear her roll her eyes when he asked that.

"If that's all, I'm going to try to get another half hour's sleep."

"Chrissy said that Mo would be bringing us breakfast," he told her. "I'm sure someone will bring some over to you."

"Thanks, House." She sighed. "I'll talk to you later."

 

Chapter 9. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

True to her word, Mo knocked on the door of Room Twelve at 7:30. Dressed in the Old Yeller slicker, she carried two plastic shopping bags. She handed one to House, who sat at the table, writing on the dry-erase board.

"There's pancakes, eggs and bacon for you and Pete," she announced. "And lots of coffee."

"Thanks," House said. "Is the storm letting up yet?"

"Naw, it's fixin' to get worse," she said. "Just wanted to bring some food over while I could. How's Pete?" She looked over to where the older man lay covered to his chin with a calico quilt.

"Not bad. The decongestant we gave him seems to be helping. Same with Pam, although your daughter had a scare during the night."

"Oh?"

"The kid developed a rash, probably from the antibiotic we were giving her," House explained. "Chrissy noticed it and called me."

"Good." She chuckled. "She really wants to be a doctor, like Doc Cameron. You and the Doc know each other from before, huh?" she asked.

"She worked for me," he replied.

"We was real lucky Doc Sweeney found her. He coulda got someone we didn't like, but she's real good, and a sweetheart to boot."

House nodded. He'd never argue with that assessment of Cameron. And from what he'd seen the day before, she was also stronger than she'd ever been when she worked for him.

"Well, I gotta get the rest of this food over to Chrissy and little Pam," Mo said, turning to go.

"You'll get some to the clinic, too?" House asked.

"Zach's takin' it over right now," she replied. "Don't worry, we won't forget about 'em."

"They lost power over there, don't have a generator like you do," House said.

"Yeah, that's too bad! Maybe Zach can get somethin' set up for them."

"Thanks, Mo. You and your family have been a big help through all of this," House told her.

"We still have today to get through," she warned, ominously. "That generator has just so much fuel."

House hadn't thought about that. He just hoped the storm would be over by the time the fuel ran out. He also hoped that he'd figure out what had caused these four people to become sick. "Does it run on diesel or propane?" he asked.

"Propane. But even if it was diesel, them gas pumps out there ain't workin'," she replied.

"Too bad."

"You bring some of them hash browns I like so much?" Pete piped up.

Neither House nor Mo had realized he was awake.

"Would I forget?" she asked with a smile and a wink. "Enjoy your breakfasts, gentlemen." She opened the door and the sound of the storm intensified. "I'll be back," she said, in an awful imitation of the Governator.

"So, how're you feeling?" House asked his patient as he began to pull out Styrofoam containers of food from the plastic bag Mo had brought them.

"Hungry," Pete said.

"Well, that's a good sign." He brought one of the containers to Pete. There was a thermos of coffee and a couple of cups. He filled one and brought that to Pete, too. "This'll help," he said.

"Mo's cookin' always helps," Pete declared. "I ain't got a wife, and glad of it, but when I want a good meal, Mo always obliges."

"Is she the only cook at the diner?" House asked, opening his own box of food on the table where he'd been working.

"Yup. Don't need anyone else," Pete said. "She's always liked to cook, since she was a tiny thing." He chuckled. "Bet you can't believe she was ever tiny."

"Everyone was once," House replied.

"Yup, that's the truth." Now that he was feeling better, Pete had turned into quite a talker. Between bitefuls of egg, pancakes, bacon, toast and the hash browns he'd craved, he filled House in on Mo and her family.

"Zach Lindquist started courtin' her when she was still in high school. She was purty as Chrissy then. He went off to college and she waited. They got hitched the day after he came back, bought the diner, motel and gas station with money his old grandpappy loaned him." Pete gulped some coffee, then said. "If I'da been sure of a marriage like theirs, I might of gotten hitched myself. You ever been married?" he asked suddenly.

House shook his head. "Guess I never found the right one. Like you, I would have had to be sure it would work."

"You ever consider that filly in the clinic?" Pete asked. House couldn't be sure whether there was a twinkle in his eyes or not.

"It couldn't have worked. And then she got married herself," House said.

"Married?"

"She's divorced now."

Pete nodded. "She's sure a purty one!"

"You said that already."

"Bears repeating'." He chewed some food, then asked. "Where was I?"

"You were telling me about Mo and Zach," House reminded him, hoping he'd drop the subject of Cameron. "What about Linda?"

"She's Zach's sister. Needed a job when her husband got killed in I-raq."

"So Zach and Mo gave her one."

"Yup.

"And Linda and Chrissy are the only waitresses?"

"In summer they sometimes git some of Chrissy's friends to help. More tourists then, ya unnerstan'," Pete explained. He took a big gulp of coffee and smacked his lips. "In summer Zach wouldn'ta had these rooms empty."

There was a knock at the door. House opened it, expecting that Mo had returned, but it was Zach, the slouch hat on his head dripping rain.

"Doc, wanna give us a hand? We've moved the folks from the clinic over here and I'm putting them in eight, nine and ten."

House nodded, surprised the man had been able to convince Cameron to move. He slid the long raincoat on once more, and followed the innkeeper out to his SUV, parked outside of room ten. The rain was still being driven from the south, right at them. Cameron sat in the front passenger seat until they arrived. Cousin Harry and a woman House hadn't seen before were stretched out on the two bench seats behind her. House recognized Ralph's car, parked a couple of doors down.

"You've sprouted another patient," House told Cameron as he and Zach maneuvered the woman out of the SUV. "Must be all this rain," he quipped.

A ghost of a smile flitted across her face. "And I don't think this will be the end of it," she said, getting out to help them. "House, whatever this is, and it's definitely not an infection, it could have affected many more people but they can't get here."

"What are you proposing? That we go door-to-door?"

"No! Of course not," she insisted, but he knew that if she could, that's just what she'd do.

 

Chapter 10. Blowin' In The Wind

They got the woman settled in a bed in Room 10. Cameron said her name was Vivian and she'd been brought in just before dawn by a neighbor who had to get back to his own family. She seemed to be in as bad a condition as Pete had been, gasping for breath.

"I gave her a decongestant and the antibiotic. She's got a fever, too, and her blood pressure's low, " Cameron shouted above the storm just as Zach closed the door. "I'm afraid they waited too long and she's already developing pneumonia," she continued in her normal voice.

"What about Cousin Whatsis?" House asked.

"Harry? The decongestant is helping him but not as much as it did Kelly," Cameron said. "She's doing pretty well and I think Ralph can handle her as long as one of us checks on them periodically." She seemed reluctant to leave Vivian, but said, "Let's get Harry into Room Nine."

House, Cameron and Zach trooped back out into the downpour to get the other patient. Cameron had been right. Harry hadn't recovered as much as Pete or even Pam. Once they had him in bed, Cameron told House, "We brought some of the supplies and equipment from the clinic. I suppose we can set up a little lab in one of the bathrooms."

House wasn't sure whether she was asking Zach for permission or him for help. But Zach didn't seem to have a problem with her idea. "Just let me know if there's anything else you need," he said. He left them and went to get the bags, filled with the items Cameron had insisted on bringing. It gave House an opportunity to look at Cameron more carefully. She'd been running herself ragged. Her hair was wet and disheveled, and she'd probably slept in her clothes.

"Why don't you take a nice hot shower and change, then catch a few Zzzs?" he suggested. "I slept enough to cover for a few hours, and Chrissy's in Eleven if I need her."

She blinked. "What have you done with Gregory House?" she asked with a weak smile. She probably would have said more if she weren't so tired. "Thanks, House. Seems like I'm thanking you all the time lately."

"Yeah, yeah," he said dismissively. "Just go."

"OK. I'll be in Vivian's room if you need me. I want to monitor her closely," Cameron said and left. House watched her go.

"Are you and the doctor an item?" Harry asked in a weak voice.

House realized he'd been listening to them. "Why do you want to know?" he countered.

"'Cause if she's free, I wouldn't mind taking a crack at her."

House laughed. "She's out of your league," he said, appraising the patient. He didn't think much of his intelligence. "At least her ex-husband has a few functioning brain cells."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the patient demanded.

House sighed. "If you don't know, then nothing," he said. "Dr. Cameron probably asked already, but do you smoke?"

"Yeah," Harry replied, not at all sure what that had to do with anything.

House nodded. "That's why your lungs were weak enough to be affected by whatever caused your shortness of breath."

Zach returned with a couple of large plastic shopping bags. "You can set up here," he suggested.

But House had had enough of Harry for a while. "I already have some stuff in the room I'm sharing with Pete," he told Zach. He looked at the patient. "You should be OK here. One of us will check in periodically, but if you start gasping again, call me in Room 12." He didn't think Harry would realize how ridiculous that sounded.

"You're leaving me alone here?" Harry protested.

"You don't need a babysitter," House told him. He took one of the bags from Zach and led the way outside.

"You didn't have to be so sharp with him," Zach said. He had to shout to be heard over the howl of the wind and thundering rain.

"He rubs me the wrong way," House explained in just as loud a voice, and Zach didn't argue. "Guess you'll have a big job cleaning up when this storm is over," House said, indicating the debris that littered the area between the gas station and the motel and diner.

"Folks'll help. We get storms like this every few years. We've gotten used to working together to clean up the town," Zach told him. They'd reached the door to Room 12 and entered together.

Pete was sitting up in bed, finishing the last of his breakfast and trying to tune the TV, but mostly he was getting snow. "Looks like the cable's out," he said.

"I think the broadcast stations lost power," Zach said. "But the cable's definitely out, too. Sorry Pete."

"Guess we'll have to find some other way to pass the time," Pete said. "Anyone for a game of cards?"

House laughed. He was beginning to really like his roommate.

"Well, I have to get back to the office, not that anyone's checking in today," Zach said. "Call me if there's anything else I can do. At least the phone system in the motel is working."

"I'll set this equipment up and then go check on Pam and Kelly," House said. "Then maybe I'll take Pete up on his offer."

It didn't take long after Zach left that House realized there wasn't enough room in the bathroom for everything. It might be a make-shift lab, but between Cameron's equipment and what he'd bought, there was a lot. In the end, he put the blood and urine samples in the undercounter mini-refrigerator, and some of the meters and gadgets on the table he'd used for his breakfast.

He checked Pete's blood pressure, which was slightly low, and listened to his lungs with a stethoscope. Satisfied that the lungs were clear, he donned the raincoat one more time and headed out into the wild weather to check on the other patients.

House headed first to the furthest room, number 8. He found Ralph hovering over his wife, but she looked better than she had the day before. "She's breathing better," he said. "But I'm still worried about her."

House did a cursory examination and told him, "She's responding to the medicine Dr. Cameron gave her. Just stick to that and she should be OK."

"Thanks," Ralph said.

House shook his head. "I'm just..." House realized he was going to say he was just doing his job, but when had it become his job to tend to these patients? He shrugged. What difference did it make? He finished what he started to say, "...just doing my job. I'll be in Room 12."

He left Ralph and Kelly just as he found them.

 

Chapter 11. Rain Please Go Away

Even hugging the building as he walked back to the room that Chrissy was sharing with Pam, the wind-driven rain pelted him the entire way. He knocked on Room 11 and walked in.

Chrissy and Pam were chatting and giggling as young girls do. "Hi, Dr. House," Chrissy said when she saw him. "Pam's doing much better, and the rash is almost gone."

He nodded. "I figured as much since I didn't hear from you again." He walked over to the bed where Pam sat against a pile of pillows. She was a pretty child with big brown eyes and straight shoulder-length brown hair.

"We were just talking about school. She has the same third grade teacher I had, Mr. Monroe," Chrissy said.

"He's very funny," Pam said with a smile. "Kinda goofy."

"And he's a very good teacher," Chrissy added. "Have you talked to Dr. Cameron?"

"She and your father moved the other patients over from the clinic, since there's no electricity there."

"Where is she?"

"She's taking a little nap next door. At least I hope so. That's where we put a woman named Vivian who came into the clinic early this morning," House reported.

"Vivian Marshall? She's a math teacher at the high school. I had her for Geometry last year," Chrissy said. "She's very nice."

"She may be nice, but she's an idiot. She didn't come to the clinic early enough and now she may have developed pneumonia," House said. "At the very least, there's probably fluid in her lungs."

"Oh! Can you and Dr. Cameron do anything for her?" Chrissy's concern was much like what he associated with Cameron.

"Cameron's got her on antibiotics. That should fight any infection," he told the teen. "So, are you two gonna be OK here?" he asked.

"Sure," Chrissy said. "As long as Mom brings us some lunch later."

"Yeah," Pam agreed. "Cheeseburgers!"

Chrissy laughed at her. "You must be feeling better. Bet you never had Mom's cheeseburgers. They're so much better than McDonalds."

"Well, I'll be getting back to Pete," House said, but then he changed his mind. "I'll stop and see how teacher-of-the-year and Cameron are doing." He hadn't planned on it, didn't want to wake Cameron if she was sleeping, but somehow it seemed important.

Wondering about his own motives, he left the warm dry room and ventured out into storm. He knocked lightly on Cameron and Vivian's door, unsure whether anyone could hear it above the din of the rain, but the door was opened quickly.

"House," Cameron said. Taking one look at his wet hair, face and coat, she pulled him into the room, then went to get a towel from the bathroom so he could wipe his face and hair. "Have you been wandering around in this deluge?" she asked, handing it to him.

"I was checking on patients," he said, rubbing his head with the soft white towel. "How's the math teacher?" he asked, indicating the woman in the far bed.

"Her lungs seem a bit clearer," Cameron reported.

"Did you get some sleep?" he asked.

"Since when are you concerned about my comfort?" she countered.

"Since we're the only two doctors within ten square miles, and I don't want to be stuck taking care of you AND the rest of the patients."

She smirked at him. "I took a hot shower and then slept for half an hour or so," she said. "Then I put on the last of my dry clothes." She did look a little better than she had before, now wearing a pair of dark slacks and long-sleeved sweater. "So, how are the rest doing?" she asked.

"Harry's talking about hitting on you, Kelly's beginning to bridle at Ralph's ministrations, Pete wants to play cards, and Pam wants a cheeseburger," he enumerated.

Cameron laughed. It was infectious, and House joined her. It felt good.

"I guess we've got this under control," she said. "I just hope there aren't too many people out there who never made it to the clinic."

"And we still have to find the cause of these respiratory problems," House reminded her.

"And you won't rest until we do," she said with certainty.

"Have you made any progress in finding out whether all the patients have been in the same place at the same time?" he asked.

Cameron shook her head. "It's highly unlikely. As small as this town is, we've got a fisherman, an insurance salesman who's only been here a week..."

"...is that what Harry does?" House asked.

"Yes. A high school teacher, a supermarket clerk and an elementary schoolgirl. There's not much they have in common, no places they all go."

"Maybe not usually..." House prompted.

"No, House. I asked Harry, Kelly and Vivian everywhere they've been recently. Nothing," Cameron said.

"Then they were exposed some other way," House said thoughtfully. "Chrissy told me Vivian is a math teacher, and you said a neighbor brought her in. She lives alone?"

"Yes. Two years ago, her husband ran off with Dr. Montgomery's dental hygienist. Vivian's family lives in Richmond. They moved there from Bethesda, Maryland when Vivian was sixteen. There's a sister who spends two weeks a year with her, and a brother she doesn't get along with."

House almost laughed. "You haven't changed all that much." Trust Cameron to delve deeply into every patient's history, he thought. It was comforting to know some things would never change.

"House, you taught me that no detail can be overlooked when you're treating a patient," she explained. But he continued to smirk at her. "I may not have changed much, but you have."

"So you're not angry at me any more?"

"Angry?"

"When you left, you accused me of destroying your marriage," he said.

"I guess I've realized it couldn't have been much of a marriage that a few words from you would convince Chase that he shouldn't leave with me," she said.

"You also implied that I corrupted him."

"You taught him that the end justifies the means, any means," she said.

"You're talking about Dibala now," he guessed.

She stared at him. "Let me ask you something. Given the situation, knowing that a live Dibala would have ordered the deaths of thousands, would you have killed him?"

He'd wondered that himself, but never known for sure. "I don't know," he said truthfully.

Cameron nodded. "I...I talked about wanting him dead, but I couldn't do it. As much as I understood Robert's motives, I would never have been able to take the steps he did. Does that make me weak?"

House shook his head. He knew the answer to this one. "It just makes you...you. You could assist in the suicide of a dying man, not because you disapproved of the research he'd done in the past, but to relieve his pain. But I could never see you taking the life of someone because you knew it would guarantee he couldn't harm another human being. You'd look for another way."

"Thank you," she said. Hearing him say that seemed to dissolve a nagging doubt she'd had. "It's strange, in a way. I guess we each learned something different from you, but it depended on the kind of person we were before. And while Chase and Foreman and the others were becoming more like you, you were changing, too."

 

 

Chapter 12. Eureka!

"I'd better get back to Pete," House said, handing the towel back to Cameron before she went too far in her analysis of his behavior. "Your patient's waking up," he added, tilting his head toward the woman in the far bed. He started to leave without another word, then turned back. "Cameron, do you know what made her susceptible?"

Cameron shook her head. "Not yet."

"Well, let me know when you find out." He opened the door, and immediately the noise level increased tenfold. The wind had picked up during the short time he'd been in Room 10. He forced himself out into it and along the building to Room 12.

As he walked, head bent and shoulders hunched, he thought about the conversation he'd just had with Cameron. She hadn't really answered his question about whether she was still angry with him, but he hoped she was over it. He remembered distinctly what it felt like when she still worshiped him. It was his own fault, really, that she'd been disillusioned. He'd pushed her away, as only he could, and showed her his worst side, proven that he didn't always do the right thing, no matter what she thought.

He finally reached the room and opened the door. Pete looked up when he walked in, and he could feel the old guy's eyes on him as he took off the raincoat, found a hanger for it in the closet, and hooked it over the shower rod in he bathroom. As he walked back to the bedroom, he toed off his Nikes, then sat in a chair and peeled off his sodden socks.

Then it was back to the bathroom for a towel for his feet. He was sure he had a clean and dry pair of socks in his bag. After much rummaging, he pulled them out and put them on.

"Can we play now?" Pete asked impatiently.

"Sure, but where're we going to get the cards?" House asked.

"There should be a coupla decks in the drawer. Next to the Good Book."

House laughed. "Guess Zach caters to all comers." He pulled the drawer open and, sure enough, there were two Tally-Ho boxes. He wondered briefly how Pete knew they'd be there. "So, what'll it be?" he asked, removing one deck from its box and deftly shuffling it.

"Well, I'll tell ya. Pinocle's my game, but them's reg'lar decks. An' I have no fondness for them fancy games they play on TV."

House knew he was referring to Texas Hold 'Em.

"How 'bout some five-card stud?" Pete suggested.

"You got it," House said. He was about to move a chair closer to Pete's bed, but the old guy gingerly got up and walked slowly to the table. So House cleared a space and began to deal. They each had four cards and he was about to hand Pete a fifth when his phone sang, 'Dancing Queen'. House was so startled that he looked at the room phone first, then pulled out his cell.

"House, where the hell have you run off to?" Wilson demanded without a preliminary 'hello'.

"I didn't think I needed your permission to take a little trip."

"And what's this about you resigning?" Wilson went on without a stop. Nothing, yet, about the break-up with Cuddy.

"Wilson, I'm a little busy here," House said. "Call back another time."

"Not until you tell me where you are."

"All I'll tell you is it's raining cats and dogs, and the patients are dropping like flies and..." House practically dropped the phone as he realized what he'd said. "Gotta go. Talk to you later." He ended the call, and dropped the cards on the table. "Pete, they sprayed for mosquitoes last week, right?" There'd been something about it in the newspaper he'd read the first night.

"It's June. They always spray in June. July and August, too."

"Do you know who does the spraying?" House demanded.

"That'd be Seth Davis. He's a crop duster," Pete replied, becoming curious why the doctor was asking.

"Even better! You know his number?"

"His phone number? Nah. But Zach would know." As House picked up the room phone to call the office, Pete complained, "I thought we were gonna play cards!"

"Hold your horses! I have to find out something first," House told him.

Zach answered immediately. "Is there something wrong?"

"No," House replied. "I need the phone number for..." he looked at Pete.

"Seth Davis," Pete supplied.

"...Seth Davis."

"Huh?" Zach said. "Why do you want to talk to him?"

"He sprayed for mosquitoes earlier this week," House explained.

That seemed to be enough for Zach. "His number is 555-7788, but you probably won't be able to reach him. The phone lines are out."

"Oh!" House was disappointed. "I guess finding out the specific insecticide can wait. Thanks, Zach." He turned back to Pete, but changed his mind. He needed to share his epiphany, so he called Room 10. It took Cameron a little longer to answer.

"Tell me the other patients are well. Tell me the storm is over. Tell me..."

"It was mosquito spraying," House interrupted. "Something about the spray triggered shortness of breath in anyone with lung or breathing problems."

"I forgot that Seth sprayed this week!" she said. He could picture her hitting her smooth forehead with the palm of her hand.

"You know this Seth Davis?"

"His wife Carol works part-time at the clinic at the front desk. She hasn't been in the past couple of days because he wasn't feeling well," Cameron said. "I bet he was sick just like our patients!"

"Zach says the land phones are out. You wouldn't happen to have a cell phone number for the wife, would you?" he asked hopefully.

"Just a minute and I'll get it for you." It was actually only about thirty seconds before she was back, rattling off the number. "I hope Seth is OK. Carol told me he had pneumonia last year, and this could have brought about a recurrence." She hesitated than said, "Maybe I should be the one to call Carol."

"Afraid I'll tell her that she and her husband are idiots?" House asked.

"No. She knows me, so she'll probably be more comfortable talking to me," Cameron explained. "Besides, don't you have a card game to get back to?"

Now it was House's turn to hesitate. "You'll let me know what she says?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

House chuckled. "And ask what else her hubby used for crop dusting," he added.

"Will do. Talk to you later, House."

 

Chapter 13. Poker Face

House wasn't ready to end the conversation with Cameron just yet. "What about Vivian?" he asked.

"Oh, I've been trying to get some information out of her, but she's still having periods of shortness of breath. And her blood pressure is low, just like the other patients. She did say she's a non-smoker," Cameron said. "So something else made her susceptible."

"Well, keep trying to get it out of her."

"I will," she promised.

After she hung up, he stared at the phone for a while but Pete brought him out of his thoughts by asking, "Are you ready to finish dealing?"

House picked up the deck again, "How many cards you have?"

"Four," Pete said, holding them up, face side down.

House nodded, and dealt them each a fifth card.

"So Doc Cameron is calling Carol Davis?" Pete asked. "Two cards." He discarded two of the ones he'd been dealt.

House gave him two more and finally looked at his hand while he pondered how much to tell Pete about Allison Cameron. He had a nine of spades, jack of diamonds, six and two of clubs and nine of hearts. Keeping the two nines and the face card, he dealt himself two more, the jack of spades and eight of hearts.

A frown had flitted across Pete's face when he looked at his new cards, but it was quickly gone. House, on the other hand, kept his expression neutral. "What are the stakes here?"

Pete looked around the room, but of course, aside from House's bag and some of the items he'd gotten at the drugstore, there was nothing of value. "How 'bout, whoever wins gets ta ask a question of t'other one, and the loser has ta answer."

"Then can I raise it to two questions?" House asked.

"You sure you wanna do that, Sonny?" Pete asked with an eyebrow wiggle.

"OK. For this game, let's make it one. What've you got?"

"Three lovely ladies!" Pete said, displaying his queens with a flourish.

House quickly hid his surprise. Pete was a better poker player than he thought. "So, what do you want to know?" He expected another question about Cameron, and was surprised again by Pete's question.

"If I was poisoned by Seth's sprayin', will I be gettin' better again?"

It was a serious question and deserved an equally serious answer. "It'll depend on what he used and how much. Your lungs probably retained some of the insecticide, and your body is trying to defend against it. That's why your lungs filled and you had difficulty breathing. The decongestant we gave you broke up the phlegm and your airways cleared. That's why you're feeling better."

"But?"

"Depending on how much you breathed in and how long that particular chemical takes to break down in your body, it could cause permanent damage, or at least ongoing problems. If we can keep oxygen going to your lungs, it'll help. But there are still a lot of 'ifs'."

"Thanks, Doc," Pete said, then dropped the subject and began to deal another hand.

This time, House's cards weren't as good. He was saved from decided how many cards to take by the ring of the phone.

"I talked to Carol," Cameron began. "Seth's sick, too."

"How come she didn't bring him to the clinic?" House asked.

"He didn't want her to drive in the storm, and when she went to ask their neighbor to take them, she found out he's sick, too. House, I'm beginning to think there are a lot more people affected out there."

"That was always a strong possibility," House replied.

"Seth insists he used his usual spray of Trumpet. The active ingredient is Naled," she said. "He cleaned out any of the crop dusting chemicals before he loaded the plane, and he wore protective clothing and gloves."

"But he still got sick," House mused.

"Yes. I told Carol to give him any decongestant she has in the house and to bring him in once the storm is over."

House had been trying to think of what he knew about Naled. "It's an organophosphate insecticide and a cholinesterase inhibitor," he dredged up from his encyclopedic brain. "It would explain the bronchoconstriction, as well as the hypotension."

"We should confirm, though, before we do anything else," Cameron said.

"We can measure the blood cholinesterase activity of the patients," House suggested. "All we need is a neutral buffer solution and a blood sample diluted with distilled water, and 7.5% acetylcholine iodide, as a substrate. Then we just have to incubate the reaction mixture and check the pH."

"Luckily someone was foresighted enough to get test strips!" she quipped. "But I don't have any acetylcholine iodide, at least not here."

"Fear not, my apprentice. For I believe I do."

"But then what do we do as an antidote?" she asked.

"Atropine, I think. Hmmm, not sure I have any," he said, sounding disappointed.

"Ah, but Master, I do!"

He chuckled. "I love it when you call me 'Master'."

"The only problem is that it's back at the clinic," Cameron said.

"Guess that means I'll have to slog my way back there and get it," House said.

"You won't know where to find it," Cameron objected. "I'll go."

"Maybe we can both go. Now that we know what we're probably dealing with, there might be other chemicals we should bring back."

Cameron thought a minute, then agreed. "All right. Out we go, into the deluge."

They met outside, each protected as much as possible from the wind and rain. They had to sidestep the litter that the wind had carried and then dropped as they walked quickly past the motel office and diner, and then crossed the alleyway, which was now a fast-running stream. Fighting the wind all the way, they finally reached the door to the clinic.

The notice Cameron had placed on the door was still there, although soaked and partly ripped. It directed anyone who showed up to go to the motel. She opened the door and they burst into the sanctuary of the outer room.

 

Chapter 14. Wet and Wild

House and Cameron walked to the back room of the clinic, their shoes squishing and their clothes dripping on the linoleum floor. "I need to catch my breath before we start collecting what we might need," Cameron said.

House nodded and placed the lantern he'd brought along on the counter. He peeled off the old raincoat, and left it in a heap on the floor. "Sit down before you fall over," he told Cameron, indicating a straight-backed wooden chair.

She did as he suggested, then she let him dry her hair and face with a towel he found on the back counter. She was too out of breath from the walk over to argue.

"We should have taken my car," he said regretfully.

"We can take mine for the trip back," she said. "It's parked out back."

House nodded and began to look around for the atropine and anything else they might need.

"I think there's some atopine sulfate in the cabinet in the corner," Cameron said, standing again and removing her coat, then hanging it on a hook. It had been worse than useless and hadn't kept her clothes dry at all. She began to tremble.

House couldn't help noticing. "Do you have any dry clothes here?" he asked her. He didn't even know where she lived.

"I've been here three days now, gone through everything I have...wait, I think there's a sweater in one of my desk drawers." She went to the desk in the little lab, and pulled out a misshapen hand-knit sweater. She sniffed it but then shrugged. "At least it's dry and warm." She put it on over her damp top and joined House in his search for meds and reagents. They opened cabinets and pulled out drawers, putting what they found on the counter.

Cameron found a large plastic bag and they filled it with all they'd collected. She lifted her coat off the hook where she'd left it, but hesitated putting it on. It would only make her wetter and colder. She tossed over her left arm. "I'll hang this up back at the motel. Maybe it'll dry in a week or so."

House carried the lantern and his cane, and gave the bag of goodies to Cameron. She smirked at him, leading the way to a door at the back of the lab, that House hadn't noticed before. It led to a back parking lot. There was one car in it. He barely recognized it as Cameron's Accord. A tree lay across the roof, a tree that had completely crushed the car. They stood there staring at it as the rain continued relentlessly. Cameron appeared to be in shock. House pulled her back into the clinic.

"It was just a car," House said, then saw the look on her face and realized it was the worst thing to tell her.

"This coming from a man who won't give up his ancient sedan!" she cried bitterly.

He put down the lantern, and rested his hand on her shoulder. He wanted to tell her the car could be fixed, and if not, she could get another one. But he didn't. Instead, he said, "It's been a rough few days."

She looked into his eyes and saw something she'd glimpsed only a few times before, compassion. "I...I guess I'm overreacting," she said, shivering again. He shrugged but his arm slipped around her. She found it calming. "We'll have to walk back to the motel," she said.

"Swim is more like it," he said, eliciting a faint smile. But neither of them moved. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, his lips settled on hers. He closed his eyes at first, to better savor the taste of her lips, but then he opened them again and stared into her eyes, full of longing.

Her lips parted, inviting his tongue to play with hers. Then, abruptly, she pulled back. "House, we can't do this. Not now."

His face clouded over. "Fine." He let go of her. "Let's get out of here." He picked up the lantern and started to walk toward the front room.

"House!" Cameron rushed to catch up with him. "I didn't mean...it's just that..."

"I get it!" he said angrily, without looking back.

"Now who's overreacting?" she shouted after him.

He turned his head, then waited for her to catch up.

"House, let's just make it through this storm and getting our patients well," she said. "You and I have a lot to talk about, but I, for one, want to do it without any distractions."

"Distractions? Don't you mean your overdeveloped sense of duty?" he asked resentfully, but he nodded and added, "This isn't over."

"It's just beginning, I hope," she said.

He visibly relaxed as they walked out the front door of the clinic. Cameron locked up and they began their trek back to the motel. Is there a lull in the downpour? House wondered. It's definitely not as intense as before. But he knew that, if they were now in the eye of the storm, it would pick up again before it was over.

When they reached the motel, Cameron carried the new supplies into the room House had been sharing with Pete. The old man smiled at her and said, "You're sure a sight for sore eyes!"

"You have a thing for soggy women with wringing wet hair?" House asked him, and he laughed.

"What've you got there?" Pete asked.

"House probably told you we think the mosquito spraying caused your ailment, so we're going to test the blood samples we took earlier to help confirm that," Cameron replied.

House brought over the vials from the mini-fridge and helped her prepare the samples for testing. It would take a while for them to see the results, but they were both already convinced of what they'd find.

 

Chapter 15. Lunch is Served

"I'd better go back to Vivian," Cameron told House. "And I think Pete's anxious for you to get back to your game. Call me when you have the results."

But before she could leave, there was a knock on the door. Cameron was closest and opened it on Linda, laden with several bags that emanated a delicious odor.

"Mo sent over lunch while there's a lull in the storm," she said, placing one of the bags on the only clear spot left on the table. "There's soup and sandwiches and more coffee and bottled water."

Just then the phone rang. It was so unexpected that no one answered until the second ring.

"Yeah?" House asked the caller.

"Doctor, it's Harry," whined the patient. "No one's come to check on me since I got here!"

House groaned and mouthed 'Harry' to Cameron and Linda. "I'll be there in a little while. Have to check on the other patients, too, but I'll be bringing lunch."

"I'm thirsty," Harry complained.

"Yeah, I'll bring you water, too." House motioned to Linda to give him the bags of food as he hung up. "Linda, stay here with Pete. I'll deliver lunch and see how the other patients are doing."

"I'm going with you," Cameron insisted. In addition to wanting to see them all for herself, since they were really her patients, she wondered what House was up to.

He hesitated, then agreed. "OK. We'll start next door with the girls." He turned to Pete. "Eat your lunch. I'll be back before long."

House and Cameron took the bags of food and headed out again. They hadn't really dried off from their last foray, and were getting used to cold, wet cloth on their skin. As they left, they chuckled, hearing Pete ask Linda, "How 'bout some poker, Linnie."

House knocked on the next door and opened it as Chrissy called 'Come in'. "Don't you care who you invite into your motel room? I could be an ax murderer!"

The teen laughed. "I think even ax murderers are staying in today. Did you bring lunch?"

"Yes. I'm afraid it's probably not cheeseburgers." He placed a bag on the table and started taking out containers of soup and wrapped sandwiches. "Tomato soup or chicken noodle," he read off the top of the containers. "And it looks like ham and cheese," he announced.

"Isn't chicken soup supposed to be good when you're sick?" Pam asked.

"That's what my Jewish mother always told me," House said.

"Your mother isn't Jewish," Cameron objected.

"I was referring to Wilson," House told her and she laughed. But he'd been thinking about something else. He asked Pam, "Where were you between eight and nine in the morning on Monday?" That was when the spraying occurred.

"Monday?" The question surprised the girl.

"We think you were exposed to an insecticide," Cameron explained.

"Oh. Monday mornings we have gym," she said. "It was a sunny day, so our gym teachers took us out to play volleyball and basketball," she said.

House and Cameron exchanged a knowing look. "You any good?" House had to ask.

Pam smiled. "I'm too short to be good, but I like volleyball."

He nodded and Cameron said, "We have to deliver these lunches to the other patients, but one of us will check in on you again later."

"Thanks," Chrissy told her. She'd been studying Cameron's drenched attire, but still she hesitated. Finally she said, "If you need some dry clothes, I think some of mine might fit you." She walked over to an open backpack and pulled out some jeans and a cropped T-shirt.

House looked at the pants and said with a smirk, "I always wanted to see you in low rise jeans."

Cameron tried to smirk, but it turned into a smile as she took the clothes from Chrissy. "Thanks!" She put them in a plastic bag to keep them dry until she'd finished her 'rounds'. She picked up the other bags of food and turned to House.

He was staring at the yellow slicker draped around a chair. "Chrissy, can Dr. Cameron take your slicker, too?"

"Sure. I'm not going anywhere in it!"

Cameron gratefully put on the waterproof raincoat. "Ready to brave the elements?"

"Whenever you are," he replied. "I'll have to ask Pete whether he was outside Monday morning," he said, raising his voice as he opened the door.

"I bet he was," Cameron shouted.

They were only outside long enough to go to the next room, where Vivian was trying to sit up in bed and smiled when she saw them.

"We brought you some food," Cameron said, taking out a container of soup and a spoon and bringing them to the sick woman. "There are also sandwiches and some bottles of water."

"I've been so thirsty and I was starting to get hungry," Vivian said in a weak voice. "That's a good sign, isn't it?"

"Yes," House said. He was studying her as Cameron helped her sit up enough to eat.

"You're the man who helped Dr. Cameron get me in here, aren't you?" she said, just as interested in him as he was in her. "She said you're a doctor too."

"I understand you're a teacher," House said rather than talk about himself. "Where were you Monday morning at, say, eight thirty?"

Vivian hesitated. "Is it important?" she asked.

"Yes it is," Cameron said. "Please answer Dr. House."

"I'm free first period on Mondays," Vivian said. "I...I went outside for some fresh air."

A burst of laughter escaped House's mouth. "Fresh air!"

"House!" Cameron admonished.

"You're sure that's why you went out?" he asked.

Vivian looked from one doctor to the other, then sighed. "I went out for a cigarette," she admitted. "I've tried to give up, but since my husband left, I don't have the incentive anymore."

"Well, that explains that," House said. "Smoking has weakened your lungs, and when you went out, we think you were exposed to an insecticide that was being sprayed Monday morning."

"The mosquito spraying," Vivian said, nodding. "But I thought that was safe."

"We don't know why, yet, but we think anyone outside was exposed to the spray," House explained. "Maybe the concentration was too high. Maybe there was something left in Seth Davis' plane from crop dusting. Whatever it is affected the airways, especially of anyone with weakened lungs. Maybe that'll be your incentive to quit."

 

 

Chapter 16. Here Comes That Rain Again

House and Cameron had lunches to deliver to two more rooms. They knocked on Ralph and Kelly's door first, and Cameron held House back from barging in. "We don't know what they might be doing."

"You have a point," he admitted just as Ralph opened the door.

He looked surprised to see them, and a little grateful. "Is the storm almost over?" he asked hopefully.

"No, it seems to have picked up again," House replied.

"We brought you some lunch," Cameron said, handing one of the bags to Ralph. "Soup and sandwiches, compliments of Mo and Linda."

"Oh, good!" Kelly said. "I'm starving!"

"How are the other patients?" Ralph asked.

"They're all responding, at least to some extent, to the medication. But as soon as we confirm what we think caused this, we'll start another treatment," Cameron answered.

Ralph nodded. He took out a container of soup from the bag and handed it to his wife before getting one for himself. "What do you think it is?"

"We think exposure to a pesticide triggered the symptoms," House said. "We're running a test on the blood samples we took. But we also have to determine how everyone was exposed. Kelly, do you remember where you were Monday morning just after eight?"

"Monday? Let's see. I worked Monday, so I probably arrived at the market at just about eight," she seemed to think about it. "Employees have to park at the far end of the lot, so I guess I was walking across the lot. I know I arrived in the store by eight fifteen."

House nodded. "You were outside when the pilot was spraying."

"Seth Davis?" Ralph asked.

"Yeah. You know him?" House wanted to know.

"This is a very small town, doctor, and everyone knows everyone, but Seth and I are fishing buddies," Ralph said. "Yeah, I know him."

"It's beginning to appear that all of the patients here were outside while he was spraying, and the symptoms are consistent with exposure to the insecticide including the shortness of breath and the lingering dryness," Cameron said. "So we have a probable cause and opportunity. If our tests confirm that everyone's suffering from inhibited cholinesterase activity, we'll be back with a more appropriate treatment."

"Why can't you start the treatment now?" Kelly asked.

"Because if it's not necessary, the treatment can be dangerous," House said.

"We have to bring lunch to Harry," Cameron told Ralph and Kelly. "We'll see you both later. Let's go, House."

As they walked out of Ralph and Kelly's room, House said, "I'll take lunch to Harry. Go on back to Vivian." They were immediately pelted with rain.

"Why don't you want me to go with you?" she asked. Raindrops were already streaming down her face.

"Because he wants to get into your pants," House admitted.

"So do you," she countered. "The only difference is that I don't want him to succeed." She walked toward Harry's room without waiting for him to process that statement.

"Finally!" Harry greeted them when they opened his door.

"I told you we'd be here," House said.

"We brought you lunch," Cameron added.

"You're an angel!" he said, grinning at her.

House grimaced. "Before you make your play for Dr. Cameron, where were you Monday morning between eight and nine?"

"Why? Was someone murdered? Am I a suspect?" Harry chuckled at his little attempt to be funny. No one else laughed.

"Just answer the question." House glared at him. The fact that his wet hair was dripping into his icy blue eyes didn't diminish how imposing he looked.

Harry blew out some air. "I'm on vacation, you know. I probably slept in," he added with a shrug, then something seemed to occur to him. "Monday you say? Buddy and Lori had to go to work, so she made breakfast early. Let's see, they left just before eight, and I went out to the backyard with a cup of coffee and the morning paper." He grimaced. "They won't let me smoke in the house. The last time I tried when they were away, they noticed as soon as they got back and read me the riot act."

"So you were outside. How long?" House asked.

"Half hour, maybe a little longer. Long enough for a couple of cigarettes and to read the rag that passes for a newspaper in this town."

"Bingo!" House said to Cameron and she nodded.

"What's this all about?" Harry asked.

"We think you were exposed to the insecticide that was sprayed throughout the town that morning," Cameron replied. "It triggered your symptoms."

"So now what?"

"As soon as we have confirmation, we'll give you a shot that should counteract the worst of the symptoms," House said. He turned to Cameron. "I think we're through here for now."

She nodded again. "Eat your lunch. We'll be back later."

House opened the door and they were immediately struck by the full force of the wind. House shielded Cameron as they practically ran back along the building. "Why don't you go back to Vivian?" he shouted.

Cameron shook her head. "I want to see if we've gotten any results from the cultures."

"It's a little too soon. Maybe by the time we eat our own lunch...". They'd reached Room 12 and entered, finding Pete and Linda laughing over a game of gin rummy.

"Well, lookee here. They're back!" Pete said with a grin.

"Mission accomplished," Cameron announced. "At least everyone will be well-fed." A thought occurred to her and she turned to Linda. "What about anyone else who was staying at the motel?"

"Zach and Mo brought them all lunch, too," Linda replied. "You know we closed the diner, didn't have any customers for breakfast and Zach doesn't want to use up the generators." She put down the cards in her hand. "Well, I'd better go. They'll be wonderin' what happened to me. Thanks, Pete. This was fun."

"Any time Linnie!" he said.

She pulled on her slicker and left.

 

Chapter 17. Who'll Stop The Rain?

"Did you leave us any food?" House asked, peering into the bags still on the table.

"Sure did," Pete replied. "'Course, the soup's probably gone cold by now." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Yum. Cold tomato soup," House said. "The poor man's gazpacho."

Cameron frowned. "I think we could both use something hot," she said, taking the remaining containers and sandwiches out of the bag. She opened a container of chicken soup and tasted it. "Still warmish," she concluded, smiling, and continued to eat it.

"So how's everyone doin'?" Pete asked.

"Hanging in there," House replied, opening the wrapper on a sandwich and taking a bite. "And this is definitely not a Reuben." He chewed his biteful and took another. "Good, though."

"Pete, you're usually outside in the morning, aren't you?" Cameron asked, ignoring House's comments on the food.

"Yup. I'm out on my boat until about seven, then I mosey up here for breakfast," Pete replied.

"Were you outside or in the diner at about eight Monday morning?" House asked.

"I'm usually headin' home by eight. Now, let's see...Monday." He seemed to give it some thought, then smiled. "Monday after breakfast, I walked across to Luther's." He saw House's quizzical frown. "Luther Hodge builds boats for folks 'round her. He was workin' on one for one of them summer people."

"So you were outside watching him work?"

"Yup. I tell ya, he's a joy to watch."

"Thanks, Pete," Cameron said.

Pete narrowed his eyes. "You think that's when Seth was sprayin'?"

House nodded. "Every one of the patients was outside at that time, and that's when Seth's wife says he was flying. It fits."

"Then how come Luther's OK?" Pete wondered.

"Pete, we don't know for sure whether he is or not," Cameron pointed out. "In fact, there may be lots of other people out there who are sick." She sighed. "After the storm is over, we'll probably have a flood of new patients coming into the clinic."

"If the clinic itself isn't flooded," House had to add, making Cameron's frown deepen.

"I hadn't even considered that."

"Cameron, whatever happens, you can't control it, but you'll be able to handle it," he told her.

She tried to smile. "I appreciate your confidence in my ability."

"Never doubted it." But that was enough pep talk for a while. "Hand me a container of that soup. Might as well eat while we can."

Pete had been watching and listening to them. "I know you two used to work together. Was that just before you came here?" he asked Cameron.

"No, I was in Chicago for a short while after leaving New Jersey," she said.

"Jersey, huh? That where you're from?" Pete asked House.

House hesitated, but decided it wasn't a secret. "Yes."

"And you're on vacation?"

"I quit my job," House admitted, knowing that this would be news to Cameron, but avoiding her eyes because he didn't want to see her reaction.

She put down her soup. "You quit?!" She was obviously in shock. "Why? I mean, the last I heard, you and Cuddy...Wilson said..."

He finally looked at her. "It didn't work. We both should have known it wouldn't last."

"Oh!" This put a new slant on what she sensed was happening between them.

"I thought she'd bring me happiness, but she didn't," he stated with a shrug, implying that it didn't matter. "I guess I didn't deserve it as much as I thought."

"But you do!" Cameron said. "I'm sorry." Her eyes were as full of compassion as they'd ever been.

"Are you?" He studied her face.

"Of course. All I ever really wanted for you was a little happiness in your life," she said softly, reaching out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "No matter how you got it."

He continued to stare at her but his expression softened.

"I'd tell the two of you to get a room," Pete quipped, "but I guess you're already in one. I'll just leave you youngsters alone."

"You can't go out into this storm!" Cameron protested.

"You don't have to go anywhere," House told him, shaking his head, but studying Cameron.

"'Course I do! I'll just hit the head." Pete stood and walked slowly to the bathroom. He turned on the water and closed the door.

House didn't know what to say.

"So where were you going, when you ended up here?" Cameron asked.

He shrugged. "Don't know. I figured I'd just keep driving until I decided it was time to stop," he finally said. "I didn't think I'd be held up by this storm."

She nodded. "Well, I'm glad you're here right now." She suddenly realized her hand was still on his arm, and pulled it away. She knew he didn't really like to be touched. "I guess Pete thinks there's something going on between us," she ventured.

"Is there?" House asked.

"I don't know," Cameron said, looking deeply into his blue eyes. "Maybe when this is all over, I'll be able to think it through," she added.

"I'll be leaving then," he said. "There won't be anything to keep me here."

She pursed her lips. That wasn't what she'd wanted him to say.

"You know how much I hate clinic!" he explained. "All those snotty-nosed kids and people of all ages with crotch rot! I couldn't do that full-time."

"I have had more exciting cases in the clinic," she managed to say.

He shook his head. "This will probably be it for the next year!" he said, waving his hand to encompass their current cases. Now it was his turn to put a hand on her shoulder. "This place is perfect for you," he said. "The people in this town deserve a doctor like you, one who gives personal and compassionate care. They wouldn't want a sarcastic and grumpy jerk like me."

"You're a lot more than a sarcastic and grumpy jerk," she said. "And you'll be miserable without your medical puzzles," she predicted.

"I guess I'll land in another hospital somewhere. Just not yet."

Cameron studied him a while longer, then came to a decision. She got up and began gathering the empty containers and sandwich wrappers. "I'd better get back to Vivian. Call me when you have the test results." She took the bag of clothing Chrissy had given her, then put a hand on his cheek and kissed House lightly.

"I'll come by later to see you in that outfit," he promised, rather than acknowledge the kiss.

She forced a smile. "You do that."

 

Chapter 18. Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again

Cameron opened the door and was practically blown back into the room, but she persevered and made it out to the walkway along the motel. Head bent and clutching the bag of clothes to her, she moved as quickly as possible to the door of Room 10. Her thoughts were confused, and so were her emotions. She should have known House wouldn't be sticking around.

Vivian looked up when Cameron opened the door, allowing a gust of wind and a spray of rain to enter with her. Cameron immediately closed the door behind her and tried to catch her breath.

"You're alone," Vivian said.

"You can say that again," Cameron said more bitterly than she wanted. "I'm going to change into some dry clothes," she said, heading for the bathroom.

Vivian just nodded.

Cameron stripped off her soggy sweater and the shirt underneath. Her bra was damp, too, but she didn't have another dry one, and she wasn't about to wear the shirt from Chrissy without it, especially knowing House might be by later to see her. On second thought, maybe I should go braless! Let him see what he's rejected. Again. Her eyes filled with tears but she wiped them away as she dried her face and hair. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. That kiss in the clinic obviously meant nothing to him, and he obviously isn't attracted to me so what makes me think I can change that?

She took off her slacks and pulled on Chrissy's hip-hugger jeans. Her narrow waist and naval showed above the waistband. Cameron had never really tried to be seductive. She wasn't sure she knew how. She thought that House would make some sexist remark and that would be it. Still, there was always the off chance that she could charm him into staying.

She spread her wet clothes over the shower rod next to the ones that were already drying there, and returned to the bedroom.

Vivian was watching her. "What did the tests show?" she asked.

"We don't have the results yet," Cameron replied. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better. I think the food helped." Vivian hesitated but finally asked, "So, you and that other doctor worked together before?"

"He was my boss for three years, and more recently for a couple of months."

"You work well together," Vivian commented.

Cameron shrugged. "I'm used to the way he works." But she didn't add, 'and I should have known he hasn't changed that much.' She still hoped he had.

–

"You can come out now," House called to Pete.

Pete opened the bathroom door and looked around as he came into the room. "Where'd Doc Cameron go?"

"She went back to Vivian," House said.

"I thought you two..." Pete made a motion with his fingers.

"Well, you thought wrong!"

"Don't you like her?" Pete wondered. "She's sure purty and smart, too. Sweet as can be."

"I'm too old her," House said.

"That's as may be, but I don't think she thinks so," Pete said with a chuckle. "After all, you're a good-looking guy, and sharp as a tack. I bet you've got lots of women after you."

"You don't really know me, Pete." House shook his head. "I may have had a chance with Cameron years ago, but then she found out what I was really like." He thought about their date and how he'd mocked her. Over the years, he'd revealed his true self and there was no way she could still care for him any more than she did about everyone else she knew. The time he pretended to have cancer just to get high was probably the crowning touch. No, he'd already blown it with Allison Cameron.

Pete realized it was time to drop the subject. The two men played some more cards. When Pete won, he avoided asking any more about House's relationship, or lack thereof, with Cameron. House returned the favor, asking Pete about the other patients but not prying too much into Pete's life.

Pete learned that House was a Diagnostician and Nephrologist, whatever those were, and that he liked his steaks rare and his potatoes French fried. House, in turn, found out that Vivian had been married five years before 'the scoundrel', as Pete dubbed him, ran off with the dental assistant; that Pam's father owned the best hardware store in town and her mother was a seamstress who everyone, including Pete, went to for clothing repairs; that the merchants' complaints about the deteriorating Main Street sidewalks had been going on for more than six years; and that Pete, like Chrissy, loved Mo's cheeseburgers.

Finally, the test results were ready. House smiled as he told Pete, "This confirms that everyone's cholinesterase activity was suppressed by exposure to the pesticide." He was anxious to share the news with Cameron, and yet he hesitated to call her. First, he took out the atropine they'd brought from the clinic. He measured out a 2 milligram dose, swabbed Pete's arm with alcohol and gave him an IV shot. "You'll probably need at least one more shot, but we'll see how this works, and we'll have to test your blood again later to confirm that this is having the affect we want. I'm going to treat the rest of the patients," he said, donning the raincoat. Of course, that would include Vivian. He wondered why he was looking forward to going to her room.

Pete nodded. "See you later, Doc."

House stopped at Chrissy and Pam's room. The two girls were having a heated game of 'Go Fish'. It seemed there wasn't much to do in the motel rooms besides playing cards. "Got the test results," he told the youngest patient. "They prove you and the others were exposed to the pesticide Seth Davis sprayed." It didn't really matter what had inhibited the cholinesterase activity. The treatment was the same. "This shot should counteract one of the most harmful affects." He took a syringe he'd prefilled with a lower dose than he'd given Pete, and moved toward the girl.

"Needles! Yuck!" She made a face and closed her eyes.

"OK. All done here," House told her, putting the needle he used in an empty container from the girls' lunches. "You can open your eyes."

"What? I hardly felt anything!"

"I am that good!" House boasted, and Chrissy and Pam laughed. "Gotta go shoot up the other patients, but I'll be back with at least one more for you."

House left them and made his way next door, kicking aside some trash that had blown against the building. He knocked and Cameron opened the door immediately. Was she waiting for me? he wondered. "We were right," he announced. "I'm here to stab Vivian." But as he entered he took in Cameron's clothes. He smiled but didn't comment. "I've already treated Pete and Pam," he said as he quickly swabbed Vivian's arm and gave her a shot.

"I can go take care of Kelly and Harry," Cameron offered.

"And go out into all that rain?" House leered at her. "Too bad that outfit's probably preshrunk."

"It's not revealing enough for you, Dr. House?" Vivian asked with a smile as she rubbed her arm.

Rather than reply, House told Cameron, "No sense in you getting wet again. I'll do it."

"Aren't you going to kiss her goodbye first?" Vivian persisted and Cameron turned pink, but didn't say anything.

"I already kissed her today," House said, watching Cameron's face. "She wasn't thrilled."

"House, I...that was before...that is, I...you...and I..."

"I do think those jeans have affected your ability to speak," House said.

That did it. Throwing caution to the wind, Cameron threw her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him. It was a powerful kiss, full of all her pent-up frustration and her desire to get him to stay. And it prompted House to respond by pulling her even closer and kissing her in return. She didn't flinch as his hand snaked under the hem of the crop top. His fingers on her bare skin thrilled her more than she had ever expected. She forgot they had an audience until Vivian called out, "About damn time!"

 

Chapter 19. Rain, Rain, Go Away

House pulled away from Cameron, and glared at Vivian.

"What?" the patient asked.

House's eyes swiveled back to Cameron. "I'm out of here," he said, and headed for the door.

"What was that all about?" Vivian asked Cameron. "Did I do something wrong?"

She sighed. "It's just as well. He'll be leaving as soon as the storm is over. I just thought..." She shook her head.

"But what about the other patients who'll show up then? Won't he even help you treat them?"

Cameron pursed her lips. "He's a diagnostician, and he's solved his puzzle." She shook her head again. "He doesn't treat patients, he just figures out what's wrong with them."

"He's treating us," Vivian pointed out.

"Ye...es," Cameron said thoughtfully. Has House changed or not? He said he'd be leaving. And I won't be able to stop him.

"That was some kiss," Vivian said admiringly.

Cameron sighed. It really had been. Another memory to add to the others, the only thing she'd ever have from him.

–

House made his way next door. The wind seemed to have shifted and was no longer blowing right at the building, but now it was blowing in his face, and the rain hadn't stopped. Through the wetness, he could still taste Cameron's lips on his. What had possessed her to kiss me? he wondered. And why did I respond the way I did? Getting involved with Cameron is still a bad idea. I'll have to be more careful if I'm going to be spending another couple of days around her.

He knocked on the door and waited for Ralph to invite him in. Cameron had told him you never knew what a married couple might be up to, even if the wife was sick.

But all they were doing was playing double solitaire.

"I'm going to have to give you a shot," House told Kelly.

"OK," Kelly said, although she didn't seem happy about it.

House took her arm, found the vein, deftly swabbed it, and gave her a shot. It was nearly painless. "This should reduce your symptoms," he told her. "I'll be back later to check on you and give you another injection."

He was gone as quickly as he'd arrived. One more patient to go. Cameron will be able to handle the rest of the patients after the storm is over, he told himself. I'll just take care of these five.

He entered Harry's room without knocking. The man sat up in bed, staring at the blank TV screen. "Guess what time it is," House told him, grinning maniacally.

"Time for me to go home?" Harry asked hopefully.

"If you've got a boat," House said. "Or if you've turned into a duck. It's one big puddle out there, and the rain's not letting up."

"Then why are you here?" Harry asked. "Not that I mind visitors. It's so boring here all alone."

"Well, you'll be happy to hear you've won the big prize, a needle full of meds," House said, quickly preparing the injection, and grabbing Harry's arm.

When he was done with the man, he made a quick decision. "Get your coat. You're coming with me," House told Harry.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to Room 10."

"Room 10?"

"Let's go," House said, rather than explain. He took his bag of supplies and led the way outside. He knew that returning the way he'd come, the wind would be at his back.

House wasn't surprised when Harry exclaimed, "It's really coming down out here!"

"You thought we were kidding?" he shouted above the din.

"But it's been raining for a couple of days. I thought it would have let up by now."

"You've been in hurricanes before, I expect," House said, watching for Harry's reaction.

"Well, yes."

They passed Room 9 and finally reached Room 10. House tapped on the door and opened it. Both Cameron and Vivian looked at him in surprise, but the surprise turned to shock when they saw Harry was with him.

"Why did you bring Harry back with you?" Cameron asked.

"Poor thing was feeling 'lonely'," House said sarcastically, but Harry didn't notice. Instead he was staring at Cameron, or rather her attire and the way it showed off her figure. House smiled briefly when he noticed that she'd put on a bra under the crop top. "Besides, I'd rather not have to go on down to his room again if I don't have to. The wind's changed direction. It's coming from the west now."

"I can do the next set of injections," Cameron offered.

"Nah, once I'm gone, you can have the patients all to yourself."

"Dr. Cameron said you were leaving as soon as the storm's over," Vivian said.

House looked at Cameron, then at Vivian. "Yes."

That brought Harry out of his daydream, which centered around Cameron. "You're leaving?" he asked with a smile.

House fixed him with a imposing stare. "Not until after the storm stops."

"But Dr. Cameron will need all the help she can get with the other patients," Vivian argued.

"What other patients?" Harry asked. "I thought there were only five of us."

"There are probably dozens, maybe even a hundred or more people out there who were exposed to the pesticide and will need treatment, too," Cameron explained. She walked over to House, and tugged on his arm. "Can I talk to you in private for a minute?"

There really was no private place they could go in the motel room, except the bathroom. Curious about what he'd done wrong this time, House followed Cameron into the small room, and perched on the counter, waiting for her to speak.

"Why did you bring Harry here?" she demanded.

"I told you. So I wouldn't have to go allll the way to his room," House replied.

"Right. An extra ten yards would kill you!" she said. "Why didn't you bring him to the room you're sharing with Pete?"

"Because I thought this would be more fun," he said with a shrug. "Apparently not."

"I thought you didn't want him near me."

"Yeah, well." He worked his mouth. "Vivian seems to be a good chaperone."

"We're trying to get these people well, and you're playing games!"

"And you're surprised by this?"

Cameron groaned. "Every time I think you really have changed...You wanted to see how I'd react to Harry being here, didn't you?"

House put his hands on her upper arms. "Cameron, we've solved this case. The patients are being treated, but we still can't go anywhere, so..."

"I'm not the one who's so keen on leaving! I'm the one who's going to stay and finish treating everyone out there who's sick!"

"That's really what's bothering you, isn't it? You think I'm going to abandon you."

"Aren't you?" she asked, then opened the door and went back to Vivian and Harry leaving a stunned House to review her words.

 

Chapter 20. What Do You Want From Me?

House looked at his watch when he finally limped out of the bathroom. "I have to go back and give Pete his second shot," he said.

"I told you I'd do that!" Cameron insisted. If he was going to be leaving town soon, it was about time she took full charge of the care of her patients.

"We can both go!" House said, as if it was the best idea in the world. He knew it wouldn't convince her he wasn't abandoning her, especially since he still fully intended to leave once the storm was over.

"And leave Harry and Vivian alone, together?" she asked in some astonishment. All she could think about was his earlier comment about Harry having the hots for her.

He shrugged. "Why not?"

"We'll be fine," Vivian rushed to say. "Go ahead. I've met Harry before and he's harmless."

"There are decks of cards in the nightstand," House suggested. "Knock yourselves out!" His coat was still on, so he took the bag of supplies and walked to the door.

Cameron quickly pulled on Chrissy's slicker and followed him out. "What about Pam?" she asked, looking towards the girls' room as she pulled the door closed behind her.

"I gave the kid a reduced dose, since she's a kid and all, and she won't need another for at least half an hour."

So, they walked right past Room 11 and into 12. Pete grinned when he saw them. "You finished takin' care of the others?"

"For now," House replied. "Time for a second shot for you I think, but first we'll want to do a few quick checks on how the first one worked."

He took off the raincoat and tossed it over a chair, then located the blood pressure cuff among the jumble of other items on the table. "Roll up your sleeve," he told Pete. He took the man's blood pressure. It had increased a little, which was a good sign. "Is your mouth still dry?" he asked.

"Not as much as before," Pete said.

House looked at Cameron. She was removing the slicker, and stopped to nod her approval. The changes in Pete were two positive signs. If he and the others continued to improve, they could go home soon. As soon as the storm was over, that is. House repeated the IV shot to Pete's arm, then looked at the supply of atropine they had left. "This is more than enough for our five patients, but you'll need more once the rest of the sickies start showing up at the clinic," he told Cameron. The implication was that he wouldn't be there by then.

"I'll worry about that when the time comes," she said with a frown. "At least it looks like it's working. I'd hate to have to come up with another diagnosis and treatment."

Pete had been studying her and turned to House, "Now that's what I call an outfit! You'd be a fool to let her go."

House frowned at him but didn't comment. Cameron wondered what he was thinking now.

"We have to give everyone else another injection," House told Pete. "But then I'll be back to really show you how to play five-card stud."

"Now that I'm feelin' even better, you're not gonna be able to beat me," Pete predicted with a wink.

"That's what you think." House picked up the bag of supplies and turned to Cameron. "Ready? Or would you rather stay here and let Pete ogle you?"

She smirked at him. "Let's go."

House put back on his coat, opened the door and was immediately hit by a blast of rain, wind and debris. He quickly shut the door. "Looks like the wind's shifted again."

"We still have to go out," Cameron stated.

"We don't both have to go," House argued. He may have been the one to suggest that she come with him, but she'd be safer where she was. Still, he hoped she'd decide to come.

"I'm going with you," she insisted.

He nodded once, hiding the smile that threatened to spread across his face. He opened the door again, and they forced their way out, walking as close to the building as they could. They were pelted by bits of debris carried by the wind and rain and were glad to walk into the safety of Room 11.

"It's still bad out there, isn't it?" Chrissy asked, but she knew the answer. Just one look at the two doctors confirmed it.

"How are you feeling?" Cameron asked Pam.

The girl smiled at her. "I'm feeling much better. That injection Dr. House gave me really helped,"

Cameron examined her as House prepared another syringe with a child's dose of atropine. She nodded at him. "I think she's better."

Pam scrunched up her eyes and looked away, but she didn't flinch as the needle went in.

"That should do it," House told her. "We'll examine you and take another blood sample in about an hour, but I think two shots will be all you need."

"Thanks," Pam said. "You two are the best doctors I've ever had!"

Cameron smiled at her. "You can't get any better than Dr. House."

He seemed surprised by her words, but let it go. "We'll be back in an hour or too for a blood sample to confirm that the atropine is working," he told Pam as he turned toward the door.

Cameron smiled at both girls, then followed him out. House walked right past Room 10.

"Why aren't we stopping to take care of Vivian and Harry?" Cameron asked.

"We'll come back later," House said, moving on to Ralph and Kelly's room.

"Kelly seems much better," Ralph reported as soon as he saw them. "I guess that shot did the trick, huh?"

"Yes," House agreed, "but she needs another to be sure."

House and Cameron worked together as they had on the other patients, checking Pam's blood pressure and giving her a second shot.

"You should be fine, now," Cameron told Pam as she and House prepared to leave again,

They walked out into the storm and House turned toward Room 8

Cameron stood still staring at him. "Where are you going? Harry's back in 10 with Vivian!"

House nodded. "Leaving an empty room for us." A puzzled frown on Cameron's face prompted him to add, "You said you wouldn't object to my getting into your pants."

"I...wait, was THAT why you brought Harry to our room?"

"One of the reasons," House admitted with a grin.

Cameron's hands found her hips as she pursed her lips. She shook her head. "I'm not doing this, not if you'll be leaving soon."

He couldn't tell whether it was a tear or a raindrop on her cheek. He walked back and put his hands on her slicker-covered shoulders, then wiped away the droplet with his hand. "Cameron, why can't we have an hour or so of mutual pleasure?"

She was torn. She'd wanted this man for years, but could she settle for a very brief time with him to add to her other memories? Or should she just walk away and protect herself from the hurt she knew she'd feel when he was gone? She looked into his eyes and saw desire there that matched her own. That was enough to help her decide. She nodded slightly and put her hand in his as they walked together to Room 8.

 

Chapter 21. I'd Like To Make It With You

House and Cameron entered the empty room and looked around. One of the beds was a jumble of the comforter, sheets and pillows, Harry's bed. The other hadn't been touched.

Cameron's throat was suddenly dry. This was the moment she'd been waiting for for so long, but she was frozen. Should she strip off her clothes or wait for House to do it? Should she take off his?

As if he sensed her hesitation, House removed his raincoat and reached to unfasten her slicker. She helped him with that, her fingers fumbling with the closures, but finally it was off. House smiled at her as his hands sought the smooth skin under the crop top.

"You're skin is like velvet," he said. "Only much warmer." He smiled at her. "Relax, Cameron," he said, pulling off her top and then rubbing her shoulders. The feel of those hands on her excited and soothed her at the same time.

Somehow her hands were lifting the bottom edge of his T-shirt. She'd seen his bare chest before, but not under these circumstances. She let out a little gasp of approval.

He stopped for a moment to open the snap on his jeans and then hers. His fingers brushed across her naval sending shivers through her entire body.

"House," she sighed. It was becoming easier for her now, more natural, to explore his long lean body. She wanted to touch every inch with her hands and her mouth.

House tried to be gentle with her, to treat Cameron like a princess. But princesses were unapproachable and Cameron was just as eager as he was. She was an awkward mixture of shy and reticent, and wild abandon. The right touch seemed to unleash the pent-up fire inside.

So many times in the past, he'd stifled his urge to kiss her, to make love to her. Now he wondered what had stopped him. It seemed almost natural to caress her, to kiss her, to be completely intimate with her.

Soon the second bed in the room was as much a jumble of quilt and sheets as the other one. Their passion rose, their bodies became sweaty, they both smiled with pleasure. House tried to concentrate on analyzing the changes to his body, to hold on to conscious thought, but it became harder and harder to think logically. Finally he gave up and gave in to what his body was telling him. He refused to think that his heart was involved. But the final release was so glorious, and all the more so because he sensed that Cameron was right there with him.

Afterward, he didn't let go for a few minutes. "We should have done that a long time ago," House whispered into her hair.

"I doubt we were ready," Cameron said. "This was...perfect! Who would believe that two such damaged people could achieve such ecstasy!"

But all good things had to come to an end. "I guess we'd better move on," House said at last. They dressed again hurriedly. Cameron insisted on remaking the bed. Then they donned their raingear and left Room 8, knowing that their relationship had undergone a major shift.

Cameron also knew, of course, that it didn't mean that House would stay. She'd just have to store up memories while he was still there. "Is the rain letting up?" she asked as they walked along the building.

"I think so. The wind's not as strong," House said.

"The storm's ending," Cameron said, sounding disappointed. It meant House would be leaving soon.

They reached Room 10 and walked in to find that they weren't the only ones who'd given in to their urges during the last hour or so.

House looked at the two patients in Vivian's bed. "Guess we should have knocked." He barely suppressed a laugh.

Cameron snickered. "And I guess you're both feeling a whole lot better."

Vivian looked embarrassed, but Harry just smirked at the two doctors. "Maybe you two can resist each other under these circumstances, but I guess we're not so high-minded," Harry said.

Cameron felt her cheeks flush, but it didn't seem that the couple noticed. They were too wrapped up in each other, both literally and figuratively.

"You'll need to untangle so we can give you your second shots," House told them. They reluctantly pulled apart but remained wrapped in the sheets while he prepared their arms for the IVs. He injected each of them, then turned to Cameron. "Guess we should let these two get back to what they were doing." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She nodded and started to leave, then turned to tell the two patients, "The storm's ending. You should be able to go home by tomorrow morning."

"So make the most of the time you have," House added.

Cameron studied him as he opened the door for them to leave, and decided she'd take his advice, too. She walked out and turned back toward Room 8.

"Now where are you going?" House asked.

"Did you listen to what you just told those two in there?" she countered. "I want to make the most of the time we have."

He smiled and shook his head. Cameron continued to surprise him. "OK. But I told Pete I'd be back. And we need to get new blood samples to see if our patients' cholinesterase activity has improved."

"Now who's being conscientious?" she asked with a smirk.

"Guess you're finally rubbing off on me," he said, still grinning.

Cameron laughed. "OK. We'll stop and get a sample from Pam, then get one from Pete and start the tests. We can do the other three later."

"I like the way you're thinking," he said.

Chrissy and Pam were surprised to see them again, although it had been about an hour and a half since they'd left after giving Pam her second shot.

"We just need a little more blood to run a follow-up test," Cameron explained.

"No more shots?" Pam asked, hopefully.

"Probably not." Cameron found a vial and a fresh needle in their bag of supplies. There was no tourniquet, but they faked it using a head band that Chrissy had with her stuff. "I won't need much," Cameron said. Once she had filled the vial, she smiled at Pam. "We probably won't be back for a while, but you'll be glad to know the rain is letting up. You should be able to go home tomorrow."

The two girls were grinning when House and Cameron left them.

 

Chapter 22. Stay, Just A Little Bit Longer.

Pete wasn't alone when House and Cameron re-entered Room 12. Linda had returned and was playing cards with Pete again.

"Hi Doc and Doc!" Pete said, and laughed at his own attempt at humor.

"Which am I?" House asked, making Pete laugh even harder.

"You're obviously feeling good," Cameron remarked with a big smile.

"Yup," he said. "And havin' a purty lady like Linnie visitin' is just the icing on the cake!"

Linda blushed and said, "Go on!"

"We have to get another blood sample and then we'll leave you two," House said. He found a tourniquet among the supplies on the table, and quickly took the sample.

Meanwhile, Cameron was preparing the culture of the blood they got from Pam. "Hopefully these tests will show that the meds have got all of you back to normal," she said. House handed her Pete's vial and she prepared that one, too. "That'll do it for now."

"The storm's winding down," House told Pete and Linda. "Everyone should be able to go home by tomorrow morning."

"Well, not that I didn't enjoy my stay, mind ya, but I guess I'm gonna have ta get back home and survey the damage to my place and my boat," Pete said.

"Mo will be reopening the diner tomorrow mornin', but she's cookin' up some stew and chicken an' dumplings for everyone," Linda told House and Cameron. "I told her I'd be back to collect it in a bit."

"Sounds good," House said. The thought of food always made him feel better.

Cameron nodded. "Guess we're through here," she said, starting to leave.

"Where're you off to now?" Linda asked.

House and Cameron exchanged a look. "We have to get more blood samples," House said. It wasn't exactly a lie. It just wasn't where they were going first.

"I hope that's not all you're gonna do!" Pete quipped with a bit of a leer.

House rolled his eyes. "We'll be back here later to culture the rest of the samples. Save some of that food for us."

"Will do!" Pete said as they went out again.

As they walked back toward Room 8, Cameron said, "I don't want to waste the time we have on talking, but I do want you to know...I'll do what I can to make you happy, to satisfy your...desires." She looked into his eyes.

He nodded once, but didn't say anything. "As long as you accept that I can't stay here," he finally said as they were passing Room 10. Before they entered Room 8, he turned to her and said, "You could come with me..."

Cameron shook her head. "I can't leave these people with no medical care."

House sighed and smirked. "Yeah, I figured as much."

Cameron felt she had to explain. "House, just like you need your medical puzzles as much as you need air to breath, I need to be respected as a doctor. I've fought long and hard for that. These people need me. They appreciate what I do for them like no one ever has."

"What, you don't think I appreciate you?" he asked, but he knew he'd rarely expressed it. He sighed again. "I know you've had to fight the stereotype of a beautiful woman. A blond beautiful woman," he said, smirking again and looking at her wet hair. "You shouldn't be embarrassed by your beauty or dismiss it. Other women, who aren't nearly as lovely, use their looks to get what they want, but I get why you refuse to do that." He shook his head as he tried to find the right words to tell her what he wanted to say. "Your looks are just a product of your genetics, like intelligence, or a caring nature."

"Should I take that as a compliment?" she asked with a wry smile.

"Hey, I just call 'em as I see 'em."

She laughed and saw that he was smiling.

"Enough with the chatter," House said, opening the door to the room and walking in with Cameron right behind him. He turned and faced her. "We've got more important things to do."

Their lovemaking was different than earlier. They knew more about each other and what would excite the other the most. That didn't mean that they were done exploring, experimenting. They took their time. And in the end, they brought each other as much pleasure, if not more.

Afterwards, lying together, House gently stroked Cameron's bare shoulders. "Satin," he murmured.

"What?" Cameron asked.

"Before I said velvet, but I think satin is more accurate. Smooth and firm." He leaned over and kissed her skin just below the right shoulder. "And very sweet."

Cameron practically purred.

"I'm sure Chase told you that many times," he said, looking into her blue-green eyes.

"Chase?" She shook her head. "I guess he wasn't as romantic as you."

"Me? Romantic?"

She giggled. "Yes. You really are." She hesitated. "Do you remember the corsage you gave me on our 'date'?" she asked.

"Yeah. Wilson told me you'd like it because it was lame."

She shook her head again. "No, I liked it because it showed how romantic you can be. Despite the things you said to me that night, and believe me, they hurt, but despite them, I saw...something..." She still couldn't explain it, and she knew House didn't want to hear it. She sighed and went on, "Anyway, you do have a romantic streak whether you like it or not."

House grimaced. He hoped Cameron wasn't getting any ideas. They were just satisfying each other's urges, making the best of the situation they were in. But when he looked at her, it did stir feelings in him, feelings he'd buried so deep that he wasn't sure what they really were. And he was determined to keep them buried, whatever happened.

 

Chapter 23. We've Got Tonight

House and Cameron remained in Room 8 a while longer, but soon another urge spurred House to push himself up. "I have it on good authority that there's a dish of chicken and dumplings waiting for you back in Room 12."

Cameron grinned. "I can take a hint. Never let me get between you and food!" she said.

They were both laughing as they left the room.

"We should probably stop and get blood samples from Kelly, Vivian and Harry," Cameron said, stopping in front of Room 9.

"I suppose," House said. He followed her into the room and quickly collected a sample from Kelly without exchanging too many words with her and her husband. They noticed that Linda had already visited them with dinner.

Seeing and smelling what was left in their Styrofoam containers pushed House to move rapidly to the next room for samples from Vivian and Harry before he returned to Room 12 for his own food. Cameron tagged along, still basking in the afterglow.

Linda looked up as they entered. "It's still hot," she said, indicating two white boxes exuding delicious aromas. "A portion of each for each of you."

"Thanks, Linda!" Cameron said, removing the slicker and settling in a chair at the table with her food.

House did the same and soon their mouths were too busy for them to speak.

Linda held off on the question she was dying to ask until they'd practically scraped the bottom of their containers. "So where'd you two get off to?" she finally asked. "You weren't with any of the patients when I brought them their meals."

House and Cameron exchanged a look that probably didn't fool anyone, and he said, "Oh, we had some things to talk over."

"Sure you did!" a skeptical Pete said. "See, I told you, Linnie."

"What did he tell you?" House asked Linda. He knew Cameron's cheeks had reddened without looking at her. She was busying herself with culturing the samples so no one could see her face.

"That you two were makin' whoopee," Pete answered for Linda. He was chuckling, pleased with his own deductive powers.

"Don't mind Pete," Linda said. "And it's none of our business what the two of you were doin'."

"You really think an old guy like me could score with a hot young chick like Cameron?" House asked.

"You're not so old," Pete said. "Not as old as me," he added, still chuckling.

House knew Cameron was uncomfortable with the discussion, so he changed the subject. "We need to culture the rest of the samples, and then, I think, we're done for the night."

"You spendin' the night here?" Pete asked House.

"Where else would I spend it?" he asked, but regretted it immediately.

"Oh, I don't know," Pete said, implying that he had a good idea. "Seems there must be some empty rooms..."

"Pete!" House and Linda said simultaneously.

Cameron just pressed her lips together.

"Now, Pete," Linda said. "You shouldn't be sayin' such things! You're embarrassin' Doc Cameron!"

"Sorry, Doc," Pete said apologetically. "I was just funnin'."

"I...I'd better get back to Evelyn," Cameron said, anxious to make an escape.

"Yeah, that reminds me," Linda said. "How'd Harry end up in her room? Last I heard he'd given up chasin' her the last time she snubbed him."

House was happy the conversation had switched to someone else. "Seems that she finally caught him," he said with a laugh.

"No, he was chasin' her," Linda repeated.

"Yeah. It's a classic. A man chases a woman until she catches him," he explained.

"Weren't there a song like that once?" Pete asked.

Neither of the women had heard of it, but House confirmed that there was. "At least one." He turned to Cameron. "You going to send Harry back to 8?"

She wasn't sure what to say. Yes, it was what she intended to do, but she also would have liked to spend more time there with House first. "I guess so."

House seemed to be deep in thought. "Maybe I'd better go back with you, get him settled."

"If he'll leave Vivian now that she caught him," Linda said.

"I guess that's for them to decide," House said. He turned to Cameron. "Ready?"

She stared at him, uncertain about what he intended. Did he really mean to leave her with Vivian for the night and come back to this room with Pete? I guess I'll find out soon, she thought.

They walked along the building once more, but when they reached the door to Room 10, House turned to her and asked, "Now what?"

"I was wondering the same thing," she said, then took one more chance. "There's still over twelve hours until you'll be leaving, right? Riding off into the sunset, to the great unknown."

"Actually I was planning on driving south, not west," he corrected. He studied her face in the twilight. The rain had slackened considerably and the sky wasn't as gray as before. "It's strange. There've been times in the past when I thought there was a connection between us." He hesitated, then went on. "I always thought it was an illusion or maybe wishful thinking. The past couple of days proved it wasn't."

"It's there. It always has been," she said. "I...look, I understand why you have to leave. There's something else you need, something besides me."

He looked down. She was right, of course.

"House, thank you," she said.

"I didn't do anything," he protested.

"You figured out what was wrong with these patients, helped me treat them." She took a deep breath and as she let it out, she said, "You fulfilled all of my most erotic fantasies."

He tried to laugh. "Then you must not have the kind of fantasies I do."

Cameron smirked. "You keep telling me I'm half your age. Maybe when I've reached your advanced years I will. But I've fantasized about being with you for so long! And now..." She took a deep breath. "I'm sure you've never thought about me that way."

"You'd be surprised," he replied, thinking especially about where his mind had gone when he was shot. But she was right. Even then, in his delusions, he never touched her himself. He'd manipulated a robot to do that. What stopped me? he wondered now. His fingers brushed her cheek like the robot's had. What stopped me?

 

Chapter 24. Thanks For The Memories

Cameron waited for House to make a move, to either enter Room 10 or go on to 8. He seemed to be lost in thought. Finally, she suggested, "House, do you want to spend any of the time you have left here with me?"

That brought House back from wherever his mind had wandered. "I...yeah, I would. But first, let's check on these two. Find out if Harry wants to stay here with Vivian." He pushed open the door, calling out, "We're coming in. Better not be in a compromising position!"

Vivian and Harry were no longer in bed. They were both dressed and sitting at the table. "We were just...talking...about the future," Vivian said.

Cameron took that cue to ask Harry, "Did you want to stay here, tonight?"

He and Vivian exchanged a glance. "I think I'd like to, if it's all right with you, Doctor," Harry said.

"Vivian? Would that be OK?" Cameron asked. She wasn't going to leave them together if Vivian was uncomfortable about it.

Vivian nodded, but didn't say a word.

Cameron decided that, even if House wouldn't be with her, she could gather the clothes hanging in the bathroom and move to Room 8. "OK. I'll come back in the morning. We should have the results of your blood tests then and I'll let you know whether you need another shot, or can just go home."

She walked into the bathroom and gathered the damp clothes hanging there. Maybe some would be dry enough to wear by morning and she could get out of the outfit she was in.

"Ready?" House asked her when she returned to the bedroom. "Have fun kids," House told Vivian and Harry as he and Cameron left. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Cameron rolled her eyes and groaned. They stepped out again and she asked, "Do we have to check on Kelly again tonight?"

House shook his head. "Nah. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to crash for the night." She wondered what that meant, but she found out soon enough. He put his hand on her shoulder and steered her toward Room 8. "Not that I couldn't be convinced to indulge in a little more hanky panky."

In the dim twilight she could just make out his leer and laughed. After this she'd miss him, maybe more than ever. "I guess I just want to spend time with you while I can," she said.

"Whatever happens, happens," House said, pushing open the door to Room 8. He watched as Cameron hung her slicker and her damp clothes in the bathroom. There were things he still wanted to say, but he didn't know where to begin.

Cameron came back and smiled at him. "Do you want me to hang that coat for you?"

He nodded, took it off, and handed it to her, watching as she walked away. He had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing her in Chrissy's hip-huggers and crop top again, but he'd imprinted the vision on his brain, to be retrieved whenever he needed something pleasant to think about.

"Now that I've committed the image of you in that outfit to memory, how about I get one of you OUT of that outfit?" he said when she returned.

He helped her pull off the top as she lowered the jeans and stepped out of them, revealing her lacy bra and matching bikinis.

"Hmmm, next a striptease, I think," he suggested.

Awkwardly, Cameron took those off too.

"You'd never make it on the stage," House said with a shake of his head.

"Lucky for me I have a day job," she replied with a smirk. "And now that I've given you a few visuals, I expect you to do the same."

He studied her but didn't move. "Cameron, there are still so many things about you I don't understand," he mused. "And one of them is what the hell you see in me."

It was her turn to shake her head. "You've spent so many years building up a smokescreen to hide behind, working at convincing everyone around you that you're a cold, misanthropic, sarcastic jerk that you've convinced yourself, too, lost sight of your true self. But it still comes through when you're not looking, at least for anyone who is."

He looked puzzled.

"House, you're...complicated. Too intelligent for your own good, too cynical, but there's an underlying sweetness, a vulnerability that's very appealing. Not to mention the fact that you're a very attractive man, handsome and sexy."

House stared at her. She can't believe that, can she? he wondered. He'd always attributed her attraction to him to her general caring nature and her need to be with someone more damaged that she was, someone she could fix. And he knew he was those things. In spades.

"House?" Cameron prompted when he didn't say anything. "I don't think I've ever seen you so speechless."

He knew he had to say something, but nothing came to mind. He realized that part of the problem was that the sight of her was distracting. He hadn't thought he'd have the energy for another round of lovemaking, but that sight, her nearness, her scent, not to mention what she'd said about him, crazy as it was, were stirring his desire. Involuntarily he licked his lips.

In response, Cameron smiled at him and kissed him gently.

"Good thing I invested in a box of condoms when I went to the drugstore," he finally said.

"I thought you were ready to hit the sack," she said.

"But not to sleep."

 

Chapter 25. Here Comes The Sun

When House woke the next morning, he was alone in the double bed. He groggily padded to the bathroom to take care of business. All of Cameron's clothes were gone. He felt a fleeting sense of sadness as he showered to wake himself up, then quickly dressed.

Opening the door to the outside, he was blinded by the bright sunshine. Shading his eyes with his left hand, he saw a group of men and women, including Zach, collecting the debris that cluttered the gas station and the parking lot of the motel and diner. They seemed to have the job well in hand.

He stopped at Room 12 to get his bag and box of chemicals. Pete was gone, and so were all the medical supplies. He stowed his things in the trunk of his car, and glanced again at the industrious people filling large plastic garbage bags with soggy paper and other litter. But rather than join them, his hunger directed him to the diner for breakfast.

House was greeted by a smiling Chrissy. "Morning, Doc," she said. "Dr. Cameron sent all of the patients home about an hour ago."

He nodded and slid into the booth he'd eaten at his first night there. She immediately righted his coffee cup and filled it, handing him a menu. "The electric's still out, but the generator's still going strong."

The diner was pretty full. He saw Ralph and Kelly sitting at the counter next to the couple he'd seen the first morning. Linda was taking their orders. They were all smiling.

House placed his order, the blue plate special of three eggs, three pancakes, bacon and sausage. It couldn't have been more than five minutes before Chrissy delivered it. He was just taking his first bite when Pete took the seat opposite him. "Looks like your fuelin' up before you hit the road," the older man said.

House just continued to eat as the teenager filled Pete's coffee cup and asked, "You want your usual, Pete?"

"Yup. And see if you can add a extra piece of bacon," Pete replied.

When she'd gone, House asked, "Where've you been? I expected you to be here already, or out there helping Zach."

"Nah! Had to go check out my place."

"So?" House asked.

"Well, the house is OK, 'cept for a broken shutter or two and some roof tiles that blew off. But my boat, well, that's another story. Guess I'll have to haul it up to Luther's again," Pete said. "This time he'll really have a job with her." He chuckled at the thought.

"That bad?" House felt a hint of concern. He was surprised that Pete was taking it so calmly.

"Big ole hole in the bottom." Pete shrugged. "Happens in storms like that. And some of the fittings loosened up some."

Ralph and Kelly stopped on their way out. "Dr. Cameron said you'll be taking off today," Ralph said. "We just wanted to say 'Thanks' and 'Have a good trip'."

"We're headin' over to the clinic to see if we can give Doc Cameron a hand," Kelly said. "And to bring her some food and coffee." She held up a Styrofoam container and cup. "You come back sometime soon, Doc," she said, gaily as she left with her husband.

The other couple were close behind them. They stopped, too, and the woman asked Pete, "How'd you make out during the storm? I heard you was sick."

"Yup," Pete said. "Doc House, here, helped Doc Cameron get us all better. Now I jes' have to get my boat fixed up."

The man nodded. "We were at the high school gym through the storm and went down to the house this mornin'." He shook his head and frowned. "Lost a couple of windows, but the worst is the boat. Smashed hull. We brought it to Luther, but he says it'll be days 'til he gets to it. Half the boats in town seem to be in his yard now for repairs."

That wasn't good news for Pete. "Guess I'll have to wait my turn."

"Yup. Well, see you 'round, Pete," the man said and nodded to House.

As they walked away, Chrissy arrived with Pete's food. "Thank you, Chrissy!" Pete said and dug right into a plate even fuller than House's had been.

The girl smiled at him, then left to tend to other customers just as Harry and Vivian entered the diner. They stopped at the booth where House sat with Pete. "Morning," Vivian said brightly.

"We've been helping Zach," Harry said. "Boy, that's hungry work!"

Vivian nodded. "We wanted to thank you, Doctor. For everything."

"Yeah. Not just curing us, but bringing us together, too," Harry said with a smile and squeezing Vivian's shoulder.

House didn't know what to say other than, "Your welcome," and the couple walked away, taking an empty booth further into the diner.

Between bites of egg and pancake, Pete said, "You seem unaccustomed to folks thankin' you." He watched House's face as the doctor tried to think of what to say.

"Doesn't happen that often," House finally said.

"But yer a doctor, must save lots of lives and get thanked a lot!" Pete seemed surprised.

House just shook his head. He watched Pete eat, savoring every bite of sausage and toast.

"Guess you're headin' out after breakfast," Pete said after a while.

"That's the plan." House took the last bite of his food.

"Well, it's been fun meetin' you. Hope you'll come back someday."

House could see the older man was sincere. It wasn't just politeness that led him to say that. "I don't know," was all House could say. As he finished his third cup of coffee, Pete finished his food and rose.

"Well, I gotta load my boat on the flatbed trailer and haul it up to Luther's." He held out a weathered hand. "See you around," he said.

House took his hand and shook it, with a nod. There was so much he still didn't know about Pete. Unless he came back some day, he'd probably never find out.

He called Chrissy over to pay his bill, but she waved his charge card away. "It's on the house," she said, and then giggled at the pun.

"Your family's been feeding me for free for the past couple of days," he protested.

She shrugged. "Better than let the food go to waste. Besides, you and Dr. Cameron have been working so hard to take care of everyone, well, it's what we do 'round here."

In the end, he pulled out a twenty dollar bill and left it on the table as a tip. Chrissy had done more than her share during the storm.

He walked back out, slipping on his sunglasses. The busy beavers were still working on the clean-up. Cars were streaming into the parking lot for the clinic, coming from both the south and the north. House got into his car and watched. As he did, they started filling the diner parking spots, too.

But the people weren't going to the diner. They were streaming across wooden planks that had been put over the ditches in the alley created by the rain, and joining the long line of folks snaking out the clinic into the parking lot. There had to be over a hundred and fifty people in line. He could only imagine how many were inside the small space of the outer office and infirmary area.

If he didn't move fast, he'd be blocked in by the flow of cars. And he'd have a hard time getting across the traffic to head south. Somehow that didn't upset him. Do I want to be forced to stay? he wondered.

 

Chapter 26. One More Time

House got back out of his car slowly. He followed the crowds of people across the planks to the parking lot for the clinic. None of the other businesses in the strip of stores were open, so all of the people were headed for the clinic. He and Cameron had underestimated the number of affected peoples. He was curious to see how Cameron would handle the flood of patients, and how seriously ill they were.

He knew he wouldn't be able to get through the front door, so he walked around the end of the building to the back parking lot. Cameron's car was still there, the fallen tree still resting on it. In the bright daylight he could see it was in even worse shape than he'd thought. He doubted the car could be repaired. Cameron would need another one.

The back lot was as crowded as the one out front, presumably with the cars of some of the patients. House easily found the back door and tried the knob. It was unlocked and he could walk right in.

The examination room was dimly lit by the lantern he'd bought, still going strong, and a few flashlights placed strategically around. All four beds were occupied. House assumed these were the most critical patients. Several others stood against the walls or sat on the few chairs.

Cameron was asking a group of five people questions while Kelly dutifully wrote down their answers. Then Cameron examined each of them, swabbed their arms and injected them. She'd changed into the outfit she was wearing the first time he saw her here, her usual slacks, blouse and vest. He'd always wanted to tease her about those vests, but never had. Now was not the time to start.

Taking in the situation, House walked over to her. "Why don't you and Kelly get the histories and take their vitals, and I'll handle the shots," he suggested, leaning his cane against the nearest wall, and putting on a pair of gloves.

Cameron was only momentarily startled. She nodded and did as he said, bringing him up to date on what she'd done. "We brought the most critical patients in first."

"The four on the cots," he guessed.

"Yes, and a few sitting." She smiled ruefully. "Only four beds as you know. The others in here have had a first shot, but I asked them to hang around to see how well it worked. Carol's handing out numbers to all the people who are waiting and we're taking them in order."

"How much more atropine do you have?" House asked.

"Not nearly enough. Maybe forty more shots."

"There must be over a hundred and fifty people outside and the line is growing by the second!" he told her. "How are you going to handle them all?"

Cameron pursed her lips and frowned.

"Ralph went to get more atropine," Kelly said. "He should be back soon."

"Not enough meds, not enough room," House mused as he deftly injected a middle-aged man who couldn't stop coughing. In fact, the predominant sounds in the room were coughing and wheezing. House gave the man a decongestant.

"I thought you'd be long gone," Cameron finally said.

"What's a few hours, more or less?" House replied.

She studied him briefly, but didn't comment further. Better to leave well enough alone.

"Did you want to move the critical patients to the motel?" Kelly asked. She'd been thinking about that for a while, it seemed, but was too timid to suggest it.

"Even if we could use more than the five rooms we occupied before, the patients would be scattered," Cameron said. "And House and I need to stay here so who'd watch the patients over there?"

"I could do it," Chrissy said. They hadn't noticed the teen slip in through the back door. "I brought you some coffee and danish," she added, then looked around the room. "But not nearly enough for all of these people!"

"The motel rooms haven't been cleaned, beds haven't even been stripped and changed," House argued, picking up the conversation about what to do with the patients. "Kelly, it was a good suggestion, but I don't think it'll work in this case."

The woman smiled at him. "Thanks for saying that, Doc."

As Chrissy walked over to help House with the injections, Ralph swung open the back door and carried a few plastic bags over to Cameron. "Phil had about a hundred doses," he told her. He'd also brought back a second battery-powered lantern.

House looked up and said, "Still not nearly enough atropine."

"He's calling around to all the other pharmacies in town to see if they have any," Ralph said. "Someone will deliver it all here as soon as possible."

House nodded. That was better. He went back to work, but his mind was still working on the problem of space and logistics. "How far away is the high school?" he asked.

"The high school?" Cameron asked.

"It's less than a mile, on Delaney past the community park," Chrissy replied.

"During the storm that's where they took all the people who lived along the water, right?" House asked rhetorically.

"Brenda and Herb said there were over fifty families in the gym," Kelly said with a nod.

"That's the couple who were at the diner this morning?" House asked, and she nodded again. "Gyms have bleachers for people to sit while they're waiting." He was thinking out loud. "They must have had cots for all of those people. And, it's a school, so there are bathrooms. Do they have vending machines?" he asked Chrissy.

"Yes," she said with a laugh. "And even more important, I think there's an emergency generator."

A couple of people who'd spent the storm there nodded in agreement.

"It would be perfect!" Cameron said with a smile. "Once more, you've come to the rescue!"

"Don't we need permission to use the school gym?" Ralph asked.

"You have it!" the man House had just injected said.

"He's the principle," Chrissy told House and Cameron. "Principle Berman, do you really think it would be all right?"

"Sure. And we had propane for four or five days of generator power, so there should still be plenty."

"How fast can we get all these people over there?" House was still working out the details in his head.

"Ralph, can you ask Carol to let everyone who's waiting know that we're shifting operations to the high school?" Cameron requested. "We'll continue to take people in order once we get there."

"Sure," Ralph said, and went through the door to the front room.

"How are we going to get the critical patients there?" Kelly asked.

"Carol brought Seth in their van," Cameron said. "She should be able to take him and at least one other with her."

"My husband brought me in our SUV," one of the patients spoke up. "We can take some of the other patients, even ones that need to lie down."

"Thanks, Gail," Cameron said. "I'm sure we can find transportation for everyone."

"Let's get everything we need together," House told her. "You're coming with me."

 

Chapter 27. Back to School.

Ralph agreed to stay behind to direct any additional patients to the school. He said he'd also make sure that any more atropine that was delivered reached them.

The exodus of cars from the lot looked like it'd been choreographed. One by one the vehicles headed out. Kelly and Chrissy rode with House and Cameron in his old car, following the procession of cars, pickups, SUVs, and other vehicles north the few blocks to the light where House had turned right to go to the Walgreens. This time they turned left, driving west for a half mile. They passed a park with a playground, bandshell, and benches shaded by huge old oaks and maples. The high school was in the next street, a yellow brick building that took up an entire city block.

"The school's been here since the late sixties," Kelly said. "I went here, and so did Ralph. I think my parents were in the first graduating class in 1972."

The small parking lot was already full, so House parked on the street behind a brand-new BMW. The four of them carried their supplies into the building through a set of ornate wood doors in an arched doorway.

The hallway smelled the way all school corridors did, of stale lunches, teenage hormones and books. They walked past rows of lockers. The doors on either side of the hall were closed, but House could see through the glass in the upper part of the doors into the empty classrooms.

About halfway down the hall they came to a set of doors in the inner wall. They were being held open by two volunteers, and House, Cameron, Kelly and Chrissy followed the rest of the people into the gym.

Cameron carried a roll of paper sheeting, the kind she used on the beds in her infirmary, over to the cots set-up in one-half of the huge space. Carol had just arrived with Seth and an elderly man, being helped in by Principle Berman and another man. Cameron quickly covered two cots with her make-shift sheets and the two patients were able to lie down again.

"I'm afraid Seth and old Mr. Harding may need to go to the hospital," Cameron said, frowning in dismay. "They're not responding as well as most of the others." Then she proceeded to tell House, "Leo Harding has emphysema. His wife, June, died about five months ago and he lives alone. None of their kids could get here because of the storm, so there was no one to help him. At least he used his inhaler and took his meds or he'd probably be dead."

House smiled, thinking, Leave it to Cameron to know all that already. "Where will you send them?" he asked.

"The clinic is partially funded by a hospital in Salisbury, but that's too far away," she said. "Maybe Snow Hill. The hospital there is smaller, but it's close and it's pretty well equipped."

Many of the waiting patients had taken seats in the bleachers. House and Cameron each set up a table with what they'd need and Cameron addressed everyone. "I know you've all heard some of what's been happening to you. I just want to clarify the situation and then we'll resume the examinations and injections.

"Last Monday, before the storm hit, Seth Rogers did his usual mosquito spraying. Unfortunately, we think the solution he used was mismarked, and the concentration was at least ten times higher than usual." That was what she and Carol had concluded after consulting with Seth. "The pesticide spray was only in the air for a short time. Whatever remained has now been washed away by all the rain we've had since. But, and it's a big 'but', anyone with weakened lungs, difficulty breathing, recent bouts of pneumonia or bronchitis, or similar conditions was susceptible to the effects of the chemical."

As bad as that sounded, Cameron's reassuring voice seemed to calm the crowd.

"The medication we're injecting counteracts those effects. We've found that decongestants are also useful to break up the excess congestion in patients' lungs. I will be taking a brief patient history and checking your current condition, and then Dr. House will give you a shot of atropine.

"I'll ask you to remain for a couple of hours so we can make sure the medicine is working. Some patients will need a second injection. Except for anyone who's critical, we will take you in order. So, as I call your number, please come forward, and we'll get started."

As she and Kelly prepared to take the next patients, House asked, "Aren't you afraid of everyone suddenly claiming to be critical?"

Cameron looked at the people sitting in the stands, smiled and shook her head. "Not these folks. There may be exceptions, but contrary to your firmly held belief, not everyone lies, not everyone cheats."

As quickly as they could, they treated each of those waiting. A few more joined them, sent by Ralph from the clinic, and took a number from Carol as they entered the gym. Two more critical patients were brought in by neighbors who'd checked on those who lived alone, but neither was as bad as Seth and Leo.

An hour after they'd started again, the Walgreens pharmacist, Phil, arrived. "I decided to collect all the atropine in town and bring it over myself. Ralph said you'd moved everyone here." He looked around at the set-up as he placed the bags of medicine on a small table House was using to prepare the syringes. "Need some help, Doctor?" he asked.

Chrissy had been helping him, but with both Phil and Chrissy he was able to work even faster. One-by-one, he injected the patients, most of whom just smiled and said 'Thanks'.

Carol Davis had been watching the door and giving out numbers, but when the stream of patients dwindled, she came over to offer her help, too.

Cameron used her elbow to wipe a stray hair away from her face and said, "Do you think you can take Seth and Leo to the hospital in Snow Hill? I think they both need more treatment than I can manage here. The phone lines are still out, so I haven't been able to call an ambulance."

"Sure, Allison." Carol asked a few of the men help her take Seth and Leo back out to her van, then came back for a last word with the doctors. "How many shots have they had so far?" she asked.

"I just gave them each a second one a half hour ago," House said. "They just not responding as well as any of the other patients."

"Thanks, Doctor," she said, and took off, shouting back, "I'll come back later and let you know what they say."

House, Cameron and their assistants continued to treat patients until everyone had one shot. They had enough atropine for a second shot for about half of them, so the two doctors started the process of assessing how well the first shot worked. Cameron called the first fifty patients back in two groups of twenty-five and she and House checked to see how the first shot worked. They were able to send twenty-one of the fifty home, then gave the others a second shot.

 

Chapter 28. Every Time You Say Good-bye

Before they examined any more patients, House and Cameron took a break, sitting down together at one end of the bleachers.

"I don't think I've ever been thanked so much in my life!" House continued to marvel.

Cameron chuckled. "You don't tend to want that kind of validation." She studied his face, more relaxed than she ever seen it, more alive. "How does it feel?"

House pondered that. He rarely analyzed his feeling because he knew if he did it made them more real somehow. "Different," he said finally. "The people in this town are..." He shook his head, still struggling to come up with the right words.

"House, they're good people. They love their families and look out for their friends and neighbors. And they're hard-working but don't expect much out of life." She'd obviously given it a lot of thought. "Sure, there are a few who are mean, conniving, and just out for themselves."

"Like me, you mean?" House prompted.

Cameron smirked. "No one's like you." She patted his shoulder.

House chuckled. "They seem very...obedient."

"Oh, don't kid yourself. They're not docile sheep," Cameron insisted. "They just can't be bothered to cause anyone else trouble if they can help it. They're more 'orderly' than 'obedient'."

House had talked enough about the virtues of the residents of a small town. "Let's see if we can send some more of them home," he said, rising with the aid of his cane.

Cameron smiled and followed him back to the tables holding their supplies, but stopped at one of the cots to examine the elderly woman lying on it. She wasn't responding to the two shots they'd given her.

"I think I'm going to have to send Anna to the hospital, too," she told House, looking around for someone to take her. Her eyes lit on the pharmacist, who'd remained to help out. She approached him and explained what she wanted, and he was happy to oblige.

Finally, Cameron was ready to proceed. She announced, "If you were given numbers fifty-one to seventy-five, please come forward so we can determine if you can go home."

Twenty-five men, women and children left their spots in the stands and came forward, forming a single line in front of Cameron, making House smile. The two doctors took them in turn, getting their vitals and asking a few pertinent questions before sending some home and injecting the rest. Once they were finished with that group, they took another twenty-five. Slowly but surely they were getting to everyone who'd come to the clinic with symptoms.

At noon, Principle Berman took a couple of volunteers to the cafeteria. They were back fifteen minutes later with a selection of sandwiches for anyone who wanted them. "Since school was closed for a few days, and the term is ending, we might as well use up all the cheese and luncheon meat we have," the principle told House and Cameron as he began to distribute the food with help from his volunteers and Chrissy and Kelly.

He'd also raided the soft-drink machine and brought back water and soda pop. A few individuals requested milk, and he went back to the cafeteria kitchen to get some.

The two doctors and their helpers took a break to eat, House and Cameron returning to the bench they'd occupied before.

"Not that you'll need it, but I guess you'll have plenty of people looking out for you after I leave," House said. He'd noted how friendly they'd all been to Cameron.

Cameron frowned at the reminder that he was still leaving, but then thought about what he'd said. He was right. She smiled. "Especially Mrs. McClelland."

"Who's she?" he asked between bites of a roast beef sandwich.

"I guess I haven't told you about her," Cameron realized. "I live in a basement apartment in an old Victorian-style house less than a mile from the clinic. She's the woman whose house I live in, and she's kind of taken me under her wing. She makes sure I eat and get enough sleep, washes my clothes, that sort of thing." She suddenly smirked, "The one thing she hasn't gotten me to do yet is go to church with her on Sundays."

"Do you think she's been worried about you the last few days?" House asked.

"Well, I called her when the first patients showed up at the clinic. I guess I've been too busy to even think about her until now."

But House was more interested in getting to the more important question. "And don't you mind her fussing over you?" He knew he would.

"No, not really. No one's ever done that before, certainly not my parents." She stretched her arms and legs in front of her. "I guess I kind of like it."

"Yeah, I can see that," House said with an eye roll, making her laugh.

They finished eating and went back to work. By two thirty, they'd sent home more than half of their patients. The rest had all received a second shot and were just waiting for an OK to leave.

House looked around the gym which was much emptier than it had been. Cameron seemed to have things well in hand and plenty of people to help her. It was time for him to go.

"I'm going to slip out while I can," he told her.

She'd been dreading this, but knew it would happen sooner or later. "I won't beg you to stay," she said. She swallowed the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Good-bye, House. Take care of yourself." She held out her hand, just as she'd done the other times they'd said 'good-bye'. He'd never taken it, but maybe this time he would.

House ignored the outstretched hand, cupping her chin instead, and leaning forward to kiss her softly on the lips. "Bye, Cameron. Who knows, maybe we'll meet again sometime." He shook his head. "We never can say good-bye and make it last."

She watched him pass through the gym doors out to the hallway. Only then did she let the tears fall.

 

Chapter 29. I'm Going Home (Back To The Place Where I Belong)

House strode through the double doors of the gym and down the long high school hallway, forcing himself to not look back. It's best this way, he told himself.

He walked out into the still-sunny street and got into his car, making a probably-illegal U-turn and heading back to US 13. He turned right at the traffic light, heading south to who-knows-where.

He passed Mo's Diner and the Mo-Z Inn and smiled. Cameron had been right. The folks in this town were good people, and Mo, Zach, their daughter and Linda were some of the best. He'd miss Mo's cooking. And he'd had some interesting times at the motel. Very interesting.

It looked like the gas station was back in operation but his tank was pretty full, so he continued on. The parking lot in front of the clinic was empty now. The other businesses in the strip would probably be open again as soon as power was restored.

As he continued on, he finally felt that he was on his way. Away from this town that had welcomed Cameron as one of their own. Him, too, if he was honest about it.

But she belonged here. It suited her ethics, her brand of morality. Yes, she belonged.

He'd never belonged anywhere. As a kid, moving so often from place to place, he'd never fit in. By the time he was a teenager, he'd given up trying. And by the time he finished medical school he'd convinced himself that he liked being the outsider. It was somehow easier, simpler. He wasn't beholden to anyone but himself. He didn't need anyone else's approval or acceptance.

That still wasn't something he was seeking, a sense of belonging, being a part of a community. True, the taste he'd had of that over the past few days had been...what? Interesting? Satisfying? He couldn't put his finger on why it had made him feel...good.

He shrugged and kept on driving, out in the country now. But he couldn't help thinking about Pete and the life the older man had made for himself with a house and a boat he could enjoy alone, people to talk to when he wanted company, a place to find delicious meals when he was hungry.

Fishing is boring, House thought. Having a routine is boring, even if it includes some of Mo's food.

Why am I thinking about food? he wondered as he passed through another small town. Maybe because I'm hungry, he decided. He drove a while further, but there weren't any restaurants or even fast-food places. And what he really wanted was a dish of Mo's chicken and dumplings, or maybe the stew.

He saw a sign for Snow Hill. That was where Cameron had sent a few patients, the nearest town with a hospital. There are bound to be restaurants there. Maybe not like Mo's, but good enough for a quick meal. But it was Mo's food he craved.

Well, there's no one to stop me from having what I want, he thought. He found a spot where he could make a U-turn and headed back north, the taste of Mo's stew luring him back.

Once again he dismissed any eateries in the other towns he passed through. There was only one place he wanted to have his next meal. And when he saw the 'Welcome' sign for the town, he felt his body suddenly relax.

But when he reached the diner, something made him drive on, to turn left again at the light, to drive the half mile to the high school.

The little parking lot at the side of the school was empty now, and so was the street outside. Is she still there? he wondered. There was only one way to find out. He pulled into the lot and got out.

He pushed through the big outer doors of the building and strode back down the hallway. The doors to the gym were wide open. A lone figure stood by the tables they'd used, packing the remaining supplies into plastic bags. Cameron looked up at the sound of his footsteps on the polished wood floor, startled and certainly surprised. Her smile lit up her eyes and he suddenly didn't know what to say.

House would ask 'back so soon?', Cameron thought, but instead she just said, "Hi," followed by "What are you doing here?"

He replied with the first thing that came to mind. "I got hungry."

"There's no food here," she pointed out.

"I had an urge for Mo's stew," he said. His throat was dry and the words came haltingly.

She nodded. "And you drove right past the diner and came here." The emphasis on the word 'here' increased each time she spoke, but she wasn't accusing him of anything.

He swallowed. "I...I thought you'd be hungry too."

Cameron grinned again. "Oh, House!" Her hand reached out and touched his bristly cheek. The warmth of her touch spread through him and he was able to pull himself out of the nervous state he'd been in.

"So. Let's go," he said.

"Ralph and Kelly said they'd come back for me after they took a few patients home," she said.

"Oh. OK." He turned to go without her, even though he was sure she wouldn't let him.

"House! Wait!" Just as he expected, Cameron called him back. "They'll be here before long and I'll send them on their way. I'm sure they want to get back to their own home. It's been a few days."

He turned back to her, suppressing his smile, and reached out to pull her toward him.

"House!" she exclaimed as his hands began to roam. "They'll be here any minute!"

"So?" he replied.

But as if on cue, they heard Ralph and Kelly coming down the hall toward the gym. Cameron pulled away, although not too far away.

"Mrs. Fallon and Daphne are safely home!" Ralph announced, coming through the doorway. His wife looked at House and Cameron and smiled.

"I...I won't be needing a ride after all," Cameron said.

Kelly's smile broadened. "I can see that. Hi, Doc House!"

"Guess we can head on home, then," Ralph said. "Let's go Kel." He took his wife's hand and started to turn to go. "See you two around!" he called back to the two doctors.

Kelly added. "Have fun, you two!" and started giggling as she left with her husband.

Cameron grabbed the bags she'd been stuffing and said, "So, what are we waiting for?" she asked House. "I thought you were hungry."

"Yeah. Hungry." They walked out of the gym together and down the hallway to the front doors. "You know, you should get an outfit like the one you borrowed from Chrissy."

"I'm not a teenager!" Cameron responded.

"No, but those vests you wear make you look like a twelve-year-old boy."

She frowned at him.

"They hide the few curves you have," he added.

Cameron stopped in her tracks and pressed her lips together. "Well, if my curves aren't enough for you..."

"I didn't say that," House objected. "Or, if I did, it wasn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" If she weren't carrying all the bags of supplies, her hands would have gone to her hips, but House knew the look on her face.

"Just that I prefer you to look like a woman," he said, hoping he hadn't already made a mess of things.

Cameron thought about that. Now he's telling me what to wear? But she decided she could live with it, especially because of what he was leaving unsaid. "OK." And she started walking again.

They reached his car and House opened the trunk for Cameron to deposit the bags of supplies, then he got into the driver's seat.

Cameron smiled slightly. She wasn't at all surprised that he hadn't held the passenger's side door open for her. She got into the car, and he drove out of the lot and turned left into the street to head back to the diner.

Before they got to the light at US 13, out of nowhere he suddenly asked, "Do you suppose the hospital that sponsors the clinic or the one in Snow Hill would be interested in starting a diagnostics department?"

He glanced over and saw her smile, the one that lit up her entire face, the one he'd seen a few times since he'd been in this town, the one he rarely, if ever, saw back in New Jersey. It made him smile, too, just to see he'd said something to make her that happy.

"There are also a couple of hospitals in Pocomoke," she said. "I'm sure any of them would be thrilled to have the famous..."

"Some would say 'infamous'," House interjected.

She laughed. "...the famous Dr. Gregory House." Softer, she added. "I know I would."

THE END


End file.
